Sheila Jackson Lee: “It baffles me and almost frustrates me because I'm trying to grab hold to what the argument is, particularly since we…”

“It baffles me and almost frustrates me because I'm trying to grab hold to what the argument is, particularly since we have had Medicare by the Federal Government since 1965, and it has withstood any constitutional challenge, and that was implemented under the Commerce Act. But frankly, if we have an argument to make on the Constitution, I will share with you why this is clearly a constitutional bill, because we are actually denying people both due process and equal protection under the law under the present system because we have a nation that is divided between the haves and have-nots. Forty million-plus, 44 million, now I hear 32 million persons were uninsured. That's what grabbed our attention. Those people did not have access to health care. Clearly, if you look at the Constitution that says that the 14th Amendment says equal protection under the law, all people treated equally, and the Fifth Amendment says can't deprive someone of life or liberty without due process.”