Bill Clinton: “I thank Senator Daschle for making the McCain-Edwards-Kennedy Patients' Bill of Rights the first bill he has brought to…”

“I thank Senator Daschle for making the McCain-Edwards-Kennedy Patients' Bill of Rights the first bill he has brought to the floor as our Senate majority leader. I really rise today on behalf of the countless New Yorkers, and really millions of Americans across our country, who have been waiting for this day for a very long time. I heard some remarks by the Senator from Texas about the efforts that were made, I guess, 6, 7 years ago now, to try to provide health care coverage to every single American. I was deeply involved in those efforts, and although we were not successful, the goal was one that I think we should still keep at the forefront of our minds and hearts because when we began our work in 1993, there were approximately 33 million Americans without insurance; today we are up to 42 million.”