Byron Dorgan: “I regret that there is opposition to the request. It seems to me the request is appropriate. Do the appropriations…”

“I regret that there is opposition to the request. It seems to me the request is appropriate. Do the appropriations bills, do the conference reports, but make time at least to do this issue. We have talked about in this Chamber the stories of someone whose neck was broken, taken to an emergency room, and told you can't get this covered because you didn't have prior approval, brought to the emergency room with a broken neck, unconscious. So I mean these issues go on and on and on, the stories go on forever, and the question is, Is the Congress going to address it? Is Congress going to deal with it? Does the Congress think it is an important issue? If it thinks it is an important issue, then we ought to be debating it on the floor of the Senate; we ought to make time and allow for discussion. That is what the Senate is about. I hope very much that we continue to push and continue to press, and we will not take no for an answer. We want this piece of legislation on the floor of the Senate for full and open debate so we can resolve this issue on behalf of all Americans.”