Political Quotes

“I thank the Presiding Officer and the chairman. For the first time as a nation, we are recognizing that people have a right to not be destroyed by sickness. Under the Senate bill passed by the House and signed into law yesterday by the President, folks are no longer going to have to choose between their health and their pocketbooks. Parents will no longer have to worry about whether they can afford to get their kids to the doctor. Seniors will not have to wonder if Medicare will still be there for them several years down the road. Health care reform doesn't mean people would not have to continue taking responsibility for themselves. The bill we passed, and even the one we are now debating, improves health care affordability and access for all, but it still requires folks to do their part. Families who can afford to will be asked to contribute to the cost of their coverage. People are expected to get regular primary care so they do not end up in the emergency room with something that could have been treated easily and cheaply if it had been addressed sooner. But, very importantly, we are also going to hold the insurance companies accountable. We are finally telling them: You can't drop someone just because they get sick; you can't cap someone's benefits just because you are tired of paying for their care; and you can't decide not to offer someone coverage because they have a preexisting condition. We are telling them: No more, no more, no more.…”