John Ensign: “Let's enact this amendment to bring about some reasonable reforms to our medical liability system in the United States.…”

“Let's enact this amendment to bring about some reasonable reforms to our medical liability system in the United States. There is a crisis happening right now in my home State of Nevada. Obstetricians are telling pregnant mothers in late stages of their pregnancy that they can't deliver their babies. On July 3, our only Level One trauma center closed for ten days, leaving victims of car accidents and gun shot wounds without appropriate care. Officials are saying it will probably have to close again. Neurosurgeons are canceling operations with patients who have spinal cord injuries that adversely affect every second of their daily lives. In fact, as I talk to you right now, the Nevada Legislature has been forced to meet in a special session with Governor Kenny Guinn to address this crisis. What is the common thread between these events? It lies in the fact that all of these health care providers are unable to afford the skyrocketing cost of their medical malpractice insurance. So, if this is a Nevada problem, then why would I bring this issue to the floor of the United States Senate? Because it is no longer just a Nevada problem; it is now a nationwide problem. President Bush recognized this fact last week when he called our medical liability system 'badly broken,' and emphasized the immediate need for Federal medical liability reform.”