President Obama said Senate Democrats now have the 60 votes they need to force big U.S. financial firms to change the way they do business.
"3 Republican senators have put politics and partisanship aside to support this reform. And I am grateful for their decision as well as (1)_________________________________."
Mr. Obama said the legislation will prevent another financial crisis (2)_________________________. Weak regulations have been blamed for (3)_________________________________. Republican Senators Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins and Scott Brown announced their support for the bill, as did conservative Democrat Ben Nelson, who earlier had expressed concerns about it. At the White House, President Obama also introduced reporters to his nominee for budget director, Jacob Lew.
