Thomas Daschle: “this is an important day--and one that has been a long, long time coming. It has been nearly 5 years since President…”

“this is an important day--and one that has been a long, long time coming. It has been nearly 5 years since President Clinton, at the time, appointed an independent panel of health care experts and asked them to come up with a Patients' Bill of Rights. It has been more than 4 years since President Clinton urged Congress to pass a Patients' Bill of Rights reflecting the panel's recommendations. It has been more than 3 years since the first bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights was introduced in the House. And, it has been nearly 2 years since the last time we debated a real Patients' Bill of Rights here in the Senate. We have talked long enough. There is only one thing left to do. We need to pass a real, enforceable Patients' Bill of Rights now. The reason we are debating this bill is because so many people-- inside and outside of Congress--refused to give up. I especially want to thank the Senate sponsors: my colleague, Senator Kennedy, who has spent his entire adult life--nearly 40 years--working to improve health care for all Americans; my colleague, Senator John Edwards, who has played an indispensable role in finding an honest, honorable middle ground on the difficult question of liability; and my colleague, Senator John McCain, for having the courage--once again--to disregard party labels and challenge the special interests in order to change what needs to be changed. This bill matters--deeply matters--to America's families.”