On the recordMay 25, 2011
50 years ago on this day, President John F. Kennedy addressed a joint session of Congress, and he presented to our Nation a bold challenge. He said: I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. It was and remains a memorable challenge. To meet it would require long-term commitment and unprecedented resources. It had great risk, and it had no simple solution. But President Kennedy put his faith in the talent and dedication and discipline of America. He believed his challenge could mobilize our country to meet this challenge and succeed. And he was right. President Kennedy's goal to put a man on the Moon and return him safely in 10 years was clear, was direct, and was accountable. The result was a vast mobilization of public and private resources that collaborated in innovative ways to achieve that singular purpose. And we did. I come to the floor today to call for a similar challenge to reform our health care delivery system. While the goal now is different, the urgency and the need to mobilize both public and private sectors toward a common and vital purpose is the same. Our massive budget deficit poses a real threat to our economic and national security. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff identified it the other day as the single greatest threat to our national security, our Nation's debt.…





