Lucille Roybal-Allard: “I rise in strong support of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590--the Patient…”

“I rise in strong support of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590--the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This legislation represents a milestone in our Nation's history. Building on the promise that was begun with the passage of Medicare in 1965, we take an historic step today toward acknowledging health care as a universal right for everyone. The people of America have suffered far too long from a health care system that is unaffordable, discriminates on the basis of gender, disability, and pre-existing conditions, and frequently denies coverage for lifesaving services and treatments. While we pay more than any other country in the world for health care, we die younger with the highest rate of preventable deaths among 19 industrialized nations. Obviously this status quo is unsustainable and the time for change is now. The bill we are voting on today reflects many long months of discussion and compromise. Clearly it is not perfect, and many of us would have preferred to see the bill go much further towards granting universal access to health care for every man, woman and child in this country.”