On the recordMarch 3, 2010
Well, I would direct your attention to the Declaration of Health Care Independence. I know my friend Mr. Akin was there when we unveiled that declaration here in the Capitol when I think we've got 100 or more Members of Congress that have signed on to that. There are thousands and thousands of people across the country that have gone online and looked for a Declaration of Health Care Independence and found Web sites where they could sign on so that people could keep building the pressure. So the truth is, I'm very gratified by some of the comments the President made here because, once again, he is embracing many of the things that we have had in this Declaration of Health Care Independence for some time. And the wonderful thing about these 10 points that we asked people to pledge who signed this is that the President has already said that he supports these things. I would just like to run through these 10 again. Number one, protect the vital doctor-patient relationship. As the President should know, we have signed a pledge to that effect. That's what we want. So we're gratified to see him include it in his speech today, but we've been there. We were hoping we could get him to sign it before now to join with us to show that we are of one accord. I yield to my friend.





