Bill Pascrell

They haven't been heavily funded. If we have $3 billion of requests every year, and we have between $500 and $700 million, they are not heavily funded as far as I am concerned.

The money goes directly to the local communities, the States can't cream it off, take it off the top.

I am greatly dismayed, to say the least, to see the dramatic cuts to a couple of grant programs that are vital to our local and State first responders.

I have concluded, though, that looking at what you proposed to us and the Nation, the last administration made the mistake of not understanding that real homeland security starts from the ground up, on our local streets, in our…

We need to create a more stable environment so businesses and employees can afford to contribute.

It is time to ensure everyone access to affordable health care based on shared commitment.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am proud that we have on our panel today Mr. Kelly Conklin, who both lives and works in my district.

I would submit that these are savings we cannot afford to pass up.

I thank the Chairman. I thank the panelists. Excellent, all of you.

I believe we can go a long way toward these goals by creating a public health insurance option.

if you will note during the testimony, if you haven't already read the testimony, it specifically zeros in on the question of transparency and where do our premium dollars go.

I would rather have real health reform that addresses costs rather than a tax credit.

I fear we will have a race to the bottom that leaves many sick people behind.

Affordability is the single most important issue in this debate.

No, we are not talking about that kind of distinction. Nobody on either side, sir, has ever said it is an either/or proposition.

The health insurance market has failed to deliver on its promise for small business.

The public plan option is a critical tool missing from the toolbox.

I don't believe new tax credits are a good solution to this problem.

We can take a big step by creating a public health insurance option.

I'm very proud of the fact that I'm the only legislator that voted against it in New Jersey at the time, and my worst analysis came true, unfortunately.

Our health care system rewards physicians when they provide more services for sick care, rather than rewarding them equally for spending time to help patients avoid the 80 percent of illnesses that are lifestyle related.

My point is this, that we can come to an agreement. This does not have to be us against them.

I believe there is room for efficiencies and quality improvement, that is what we are all here about, I guess.

What design do you envision for a bundled payment system that best ensures hospitals and providers have adequate information and resources to avoid re-admissions, very expensive, and improved patient outcomes?

I believe that the reform that we started to talk about last week will be meaningless without a health workforce that is both adequate in size and competency, competency, to respond to an increased demand and a new focus on efficiency, on…