John W. Olver: “What this people's House is doing today is the most cynical action I have seen them take in 7 years in Congress. H.R.…”

“What this people's House is doing today is the most cynical action I have seen them take in 7 years in Congress. H.R. 4250, the so-called Patient Protection Act, is based on deception and a big lie. The only thing protected is the insurance industry. The best protection we could provide Americans would be to return decisions about their care to them and their doctors. Instead, this bill drives the wedge between them and their doctor. The people of Massachusetts will be hurt by H.R. 4250 because it overrides patient protections already provided by State law. The mammography and cervical cancer screening for women, blood lead screening for children, bone marrow transplants for victims of leukemia, home health care for the aged, and a good many more are endangered under the Republican bill. My constituents and the people of Massachusetts would be better off with no bill rather that 4250, the insurance industry protection act. But Massachusetts has a large insurance industry, and they will be happy with this Republican bill. Support the Ganske-Dingell bill.”