Dick Durbin: “Is it not a fact that the Republican approach on this--should they call their legislation--on Patients' Bill of…”

“Is it not a fact that the Republican approach on this--should they call their legislation--on Patients' Bill of Rights--if you can characterize it as such--only protects 29 percent of all the American population from managed care abuses? Is it not true that the Republican approach, sponsored by Senator Nickles, in fact, does not provide protection for those who are self-employed, employees in small companies, State and local government employees; it leaves out a wide swath of Americans who deserve the same kind of basic protection when it comes to health insurance? Is this not one of the reasons why we would like to offer amendments so that we can cover the vast majority of Americans rather than exclude the majority, as the Republican bill does in its current form?”