Political Quotes

“There is a title to this bill. It is not titled casually; it is called the Patients' Bill of Rights. We talk about a bill of rights. Obviously we are all most familiar with our Constitution and the Bill of Rights we embrace and cherish so richly as American citizens. But if we are going to have a bill of rights when it comes to basic fundamental health care, as has been pointed out by the Senator from Louisiana and the Senator from Massachusetts and others, then there ought to be a floor that applies across the country to all 50 States. That is what we are really advocating. If the Collins amendment is adopted, then what you are developing is a trapdoor in that basic floor that exists. Let me make the case just by pointing to one particular provision of this bill. That is the access to emergency room care, Mr. President. I have this chart to make the point. In the States that are in red in this chart, they have laws that are weaker than the underlying bill when it comes to access to emergency rooms. We are not talking about some grandiose new plan. We are talking about a fundamental right that you can have access to the closest emergency room.”