"I think medical malpractice is a real problem. I don't think the system is a very good one."
"I don't like some of these caps. Frankly it is such a low cap and hasn't been expanded."
"I still think there are states' rights and states' prerogatives, and this really tramples on all of that."
"I find this hearing to be sadly ironic. The Republican members of the House have frequently complained about the growth in spending in government health programs."
"They choose to cut Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance for middle-income American families to pay for tax cuts for the rich."
"So we all agree that Medicare cost growth has been brought to be a very low level, so low that in CBO's baseline the triggers for the Independent Payment Advisory Board are not tripped anymore."
"No one in the Congress or the Administration tried to stop you from communicating your best judgments on the estimates for this health care bill."
"I am not objecting to this witness testifying but we have Mr. Holtz-Eakin testifying."
"We need to have a standard that we all understand because some witnesses are required to give disclosures."
"If the chamber claims to represent small businesses, then why does it oppose health reform provisions that would prevent small businesses from facing these challenges?"
"The current Republican Majority is not serious about deficit reduction. They are about ideological stances that help the rich get richer."
"In order to pay for this program, which has been a successful program, and it is a lifeline."