Sam Gejdenson: “I would submit to the body that if we pass this bill, we are doing neither; that our responsibilities here not simply…”

“I would submit to the body that if we pass this bill, we are doing neither; that our responsibilities here not simply out of the goodness of our heart and concern for the poorest people on this planet is not being met by this legislation, but what is in the best interests of the security of the United States is not being met. Whether it is the fight for AIDS and the opportunistic illness that has come to this country for people infected with AIDS in Africa and elsewhere, that come back in and not only takes the lives of Americans, but also increases the costs of the cure; TB that could once be cured for $2,000 per case is now $20,000 or $200,000 in some cases. Together we need to reject this bill so that we fully discharge our responsibilities so this great Nation can do the job that it must do for all the people in this world that look to us for leadership and for the American citizenry who depend on our responsibilities here to do a job that protects them, that furthers America's interests in every continent, not simply in one region of the world. We need to do what is right.…”