Gus Bilirakis: “Mr. Speaker, Congress had a tremendous opportunity this year to expand health care access to the uninsured as well as to…”

“Mr. Speaker, Congress had a tremendous opportunity this year to expand health care access to the uninsured as well as to the insured and, at the same time, provide better protections for the patients of managed care providers. Earlier this year the House completed its job and passed health care, health reform legislation. Unfortunately, the Senate was not able to debate and approve a similar bill. I am deeply disappointed by the fact that the Congress was unable to work in a bipartisan fashion and reach agreement in this very important issue, and I honestly feel let down because many days and hours, early and late, would have gone for naught because many needed patient protection reforms would not be available for patients. This situation, Mr. Speaker, we are in today is similar to what we went through in 1994. At that time we had the Rowland-Bilirakis health bill sidetracked by the then Democratic majority leadership because the large number of cosponsors from both parties meant sure passage, sure passage if the bill had been allowed to come to the floor.”