Obama cancels international trips as critical health-care vote nears

President Barack Obama canceled his trip to Asia and Australia to monitor a critical vote on the health care bill, White House's spokesman Robert Gibbs said during a press briefing Thursday.

The House is expected to review the health care bill for 72 hours and make a vote Sunday, when Obama had planned to leave the country. Obama's visit to Indonesia was postponed for June.

The President greatly regrets the delay. Our international alliances are critical to America’s security and economic progress. But passage of health insurance reform is of paramount importance, and the President is determined to see this battle through, Gibbs said.

Obama House Democrats are seeking to pass a historical $940 billion health care overhaul bill that would expand insurance coverage to millions of people that currently don't have. It will combine tax credits for middle class and wider coverage of the Medicaid program for low income people.

During the 72-hour review period Obama was meeting and calling members of Congress.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would cost $940 billion over ten years and expand insurance coverage to 32 million people.