CNN 2010-03-31

The ink is dry, the pens are down, the gloves are off. And Jill Dougherty is filling us in on where health care reform goes next.

And remember the government program that helped save you from foreclosure? Well, guess what? The program itself might need saving. Stephanie Elam tells us why it's getting slammed. And your questions about changes in your health care. What will reform mean when it's time to see the doctor or the surgeon or the pharmacist? Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has some answers for us.

We're at the top of the hour now, and the ink is barely dry on the new health care law, and now the fight returns to Capitol Hill.

The Senate begins debate over possible changes to the House measure, and Senate Republicans are champing at the bit and promising 1 to use every maneuver 2 possible to undermine or defeat the measure.

Fourteen states have already filed lawsuits 3 saying the law is unconstitutional. As for the president, he'll go behind closed doors today to restrict federal funding of abortions 5. It was that promise that clinched 6 the final, critical votes for the bill's passage.

As a matter of fact, it was the very issue that stirred so much rage that a congressman 7 shouted "baby killer 8" in the House chambers 9 during Sunday's historic vote.

CNN's Jill Dougherty at the White House.

So what's the deal with this executive order being signed behind closed doors, and what does it mean, Jill?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the president really had to reassure 10 members of Congress and the Senate who supported -- who do not support abortion 4 rights that the federal restrictions 11 on funding for abortion remain in place. That nothing had changed.

And so what he does is he signs an executive order. And, again, it just really is one more step to reassure them that everything is going to be the same and that federal money will not be used for abortions.

PHILLIPS: So, Jill, why wasn't this just put in the bill?

DOUGHERTY: Well, in effect, it kind of is in the bill because nothing changes. But there was so much concern by people, let's say Bart Stupak, a member of Congress who would be here today.

In fact, the president has 13 members of Congress and one senator who are all -- who do not support abortion rights who will be here for the signing. It was just one more way of making it explicit 12. They needed that because it was so contentious 13. They really wanted the president to go that extra step.

PHILLIPS: And now the president hits the road tomorrow. So what's his next move?

DOUGHERTY: Right. So he goes to Iowa City, Iowa. Why there? Because that's where -- back in 2007 -- he began the campaign, and during the campaign began his campaign for health care reform, so he goes back to the beginning and once again goes out to talk with Americans about how this bill should work