The law will require people to obtain health coverage, impose fines on those who don’t and provide federal subsidies to help low and middle-income families afford the insurance.

After failing to prevent Democrats in Congress from passing the bill on Sunday, Republicans hope public skepticism over the measure will help them regain control of Congress in November’s elections.

The Senate began debating a package of changes aimed at improving the $940 billion overhaul. Republicans vowed to fight those changes, but Democratic leaders say they are confident they have the votes to pass the package.

Democrats are using special budget rules that allow a simple 51 vote majority to pass the package instead of the 60 usually needed in the 100-member Senate to approve controversial bills. Republicans have vowed a flurry of amendments to alter the package and force it back to the House of Representatives for another vote.

State attorneys general — all but one of them Republicans — filed two separate suits challenging the law on the grounds that it violates states’ rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Thirteen sued in Florida minutes after Obama signed the bill. Virginia brought its own case.

The Justice Department will “vigorously defend” the new healthcare law and is “confident that this statute is constitutional,” spokesman Charles Miller said in a statement.

Critics said Congress lacks authority to require people to purchase health insurance.

“It forces people to do something — in the sense of buying a health care policy or paying a penalty, a tax or a fine — that simply the Constitution does not allow Congress to do,” said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, a Republican who is running for governor.

Obama plans another signing ceremony on Wednesday, this time of an executive order that reaffirms the new healthcare reform act’s “consistency” with long-standing restrictions on paying for abortions with federal funds.

Obama agreed to the order in return for winning the support of anti-abortion Democrats for the healthcare bill.

Credit: Reuters.com ™