On the recordSeptember 29, 2010
I express my gratitude to my friend and colleague from Iowa and his terrific work. He, along with so many others, brought us to the point that has defied administrations and Congresses for more than half a century. Together, we were finally able to expand access, try to stabilize costs, and increase the quality of health care. It is no easy task. These efforts, obviously, consumed a great amount of this Congress's time and attention. Despite the rigid opposition of those opposed to these changes, without an alternative ever being offered, for the first time the American people can look forward in the years to come to having increased access to health care, improved quality, in my view, but also stabilizing costs. Without these changes, we would put our great economy in this country at significant risk, beyond the other problems we are grappling with today. I say respectfully--because my friend from Wyoming knows he and I have worked together on many issues over my tenure and his--it is with a deep sense of respect for him that I rise today in opposition to what his resolution would attempt to achieve and to associate myself with the remarks of Senator Harkin, Senator Baucus, and others who worked day to day, along with their staffs, to achieve this health care reform package.
