On the recordJanuary 19, 2011
Many of us believe we should focus our efforts and energy on measures to help put people back to work rather than on a bill that takes away important patient and consumer protections. And we don't think it makes much sense to debate a bill that thankfully will go nowhere in the Senate and would certainly be vetoed by the President. However, the new Republican majority is certainly entitled to use its time here as it chooses. And while many of us believe our time would be better spent focusing on jobs, I do believe that this debate may help clear up many of the myths and misinformation about the health care law signed by President Obama. The issue of health care is personal to every American individual and family. That is why this debate can become so emotional and heated. Let us have a vigorous, spirited debate. But let us work to ensure the debate generates more light than heat, and illuminates rather than obscures the key issues. The insurance reforms that have taken effect since last March are already making a huge and positive difference in the lives of millions of American families. We wish our Republican colleagues would have taken a least a few days, a few hours to have Congressional hearings to listen to those individuals and families. The new Republican majority said it wanted to listen, but you have not invited a single American outside of this Congress to a hearing to testify on the repeal bill we are debating here today.
