John Garamendi: “Let me give a personal example. My son is married with two children. He worked for the University of California for…”

“Let me give a personal example. My son is married with two children. He worked for the University of California for almost 19 years. In the last 5 years, he wanted to start his own business. He and his wife wanted to start their own business--actually it has been about 10 years. They hesitated, hesitated year after year and didn't start their own business until finally he just said, I'm going to do it. I'm going to run the risk. Why did he wait all that time? One very important factor: Two young children. Obviously there were some pregnancies and deliveries involved in that, during that period of time. He could not afford, and he could not get, his personal health insurance, so he stayed with the university for an extra 5, 7 years. And the entrepreneurial spirit, his entrepreneurial spirit, was dampened because of his inability to get health insurance in the private individual market because of a preexisting condition that his wife had. He knew that if he left the university, they would be uninsurable. That is repeated a million times across America, the great entrepreneurial society stifled by this health insurance industry that we have. We are going to change that. And if the Republicans want to join us in changing and freeing the American entrepreneurial spirit, then come and join us. Join us on this bill.”