Dick Durbin: “This isn't a matter of the State of Illinois health insurance plan; it is a matter of our State or the State of North…”

“This isn't a matter of the State of Illinois health insurance plan; it is a matter of our State or the State of North Dakota taking the Federal funds and buying private health insurance, which is something these families currently cannot afford. It strikes me as reasonable for us to give them a helping hand. It is not socialism, whatever that definition may be. It is not a big-government plan. The President argued that he thought it was unfair to the health insurance industry. I don't understand that. If these 15 million children have not had health insurance for years, that industry has had plenty of chances to sell it. The fact is, it is too expensive for these families.”