On the recordJanuary 7, 2011
As a physician, I understand the profound importance of the goals of the health care bill passed last year--to assure that all Americans have affordable, portable health insurance, providing access to good medical care. I also understand the disruptions that this law is already causing to our economy--the predictable side effects of legislative bad medicine, and the reason we must repeal and replace it. The bill we will be considering is in no way merely symbolic. It represents the true will of the American people, the majority of whom have stated time after time to this day that they reject this law. The House's vote to repeal is the first step towards assuring that all Americans will have the quality, choice, and innovation in health care that they expect and deserve. We need to proceed expeditiously, according to the rule on which we vote today, with the understanding that we are taking meaningful and crucial action.
