We're still several hours away from the House vote on the health-care bill, but it seems almost certain now that the bill will pass.

With President Obama's promise of an executive order related to abortion, Michigan Representative Bart Stupak says he'll vote in favor of the bill, as will a group of other Democrats who had joined him in insisting on stronger anti-abortion language in the bill.

To be sure, when the bill is passed, work on real reform will have just begun. The bill that will be voted on tonight has plenty of shortcomings. And Republicans won't walk quietly away from defeat. They have promised to make the vote an issue in this fall's election, and they won't do it in a pretty way.

Nor, I suspect, have we seen the last of the ugliness of yesterday's protests on Capitol Hill. Spitting on members of Congress, yelling "nigger" at African-American representatives: passing the bill will not deflate that anger quickly. And unfortunately, the Republicans' own anger will fuel that of anti-reform, anti-Obama Americans.

President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress have managed to get a health-care bill passed against enormous odds. Now they ­- most especially the president - have equally important challenges. They have to continue their work on reform. They have to grapple with immigration, deficit reduction, jobs creation, and other domestic issues and an almost dizzying number of challenges in foreign affairs.

They must also find a way to heal the divisions that the health-care debate generated, and pull the country together.

Still, it's an evening for celebration - and for hope.

Since the formal approval of health-care reform is being spread out over several hours, there's been no signal moment of victory, no quick vote or announcement. No bells ringing. No fireworks set off. But as numerous Democrats noted this afternoon, today is a historic day.

After decades of attempts - by Republicans and Democrats alike - we have at last taken an important step forward toward creating the health-care system that Americans need and deserve.