Political Quotes

“I will admit I am a little bit confused here today because the part of the rule package that we are debating was already passed by the Democratic majority last week. So why are we here again? I hear some people say: ``I stand in strong support of this.'' Well, good. You did last week, too. I suspect some see it as trying to falsely claim that Republicans are opposed to protecting Americans with preexisting conditions. I guarantee you, as a doctor, there is no part of me that doesn't want people in America to have insurance and coverage for their conditions. There is no part of me. In fact, it is just the opposite. Just last week, in one of our first votes this year, every Republican in this Chamber voted for the House to take action this month that-- word for word, our Republican amendment said--``guarantees no American citizen can be denied health insurance coverage as the result of a previous illness or health status'' and ``guarantees no American citizen can be charged higher premiums or cost sharing as the result of a previous illness or health status.'' Curiously, not one of my Democratic colleagues voted for this. This is only the most recent action of many we have taken to support and protect Americans with preexisting health conditions in the last few years. Rather, this rule package allows Speaker Pelosi to use the U.S. House as a shield to try and defend the individual mandate, the same mandate that this very Chamber has already zeroed out.…”