Health care reform has cleared a major hurdle in the Senate. Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved a broad ten-year $829 billion bill to remake the nation's health care system.

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/14/snow.olympia.art.jpg caption="Sen. Olympia Snowe says the nation is facing a health care crisis if Congress does not act."]

The only Republican to vote in favor of the measure, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, spoke to Kiran Chetry on CNN’s “American Morning” Wednesday. Below is an edited transcript of that interview.

Kiran Chetry: You’ve certainly become a household name during this entire health care debate. They're calling you the "it" senator on the Hill right now. Tell us what it's been like for you with so many people courting your vote and watching how you voted on this measure.

Olympia Snowe: You know, I didn't consciously set out to be the only Republican, interestingly enough. It all developed as part of the bipartisan group that Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Senator Baucus convened four months ago to build bipartisan support for a bill, and it turned out I was the one remaining along with the Democrats, but that doesn't mean to say that Republicans don't have some good ideas that should be incorporated in this legislation.

So I believe in solving problems, in trying to work through the legislative process to get it done. It's a monumental issue. It's very complex. It takes time. It should take time. That's what the American people expect. We've just got to give it the time and patience that it deserves to work through the legislative process to get this to be in the best place for the best policy possible on such an issue that affects every American.

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