Thomas Daschle: “I certainly share his view that the decisions we make on health care this year will be the most important, will be…”

“I certainly share his view that the decisions we make on health care this year will be the most important, will be perhaps the most critical we will make in this Congress, perhaps this decade, just possibly in the careers of those who serve here today. I disagree strongly with some of the characterizations made by the Senators from Texas and Georgia with regard to the plan proposed by the administration. It is clearly a difficult and complex issue, and it is easy to see why the American people can be confused with the allegations and the charges made with regard to the implications of the President's plan. We have been told on numerous occasions, Mr. President, that fraud is a very serious problem in health care today. It may be responsible for $70 billion in the costs incurred by Americans as we pay for health care. In an effort to deal as directly and as successfully with fraud as we possibly can, fines are going to be imposed upon those who fraudulently abuse the system.”