Political Quotes

“I think that the momentum in health care reform is changing. You can feel the difference. Our subcommittee this week is actually marking up legislation guaranteeing every American health coverage. Senate committees are holding hearings almost every day. The House and Senate leadership are talking about going to the floor around Memorial Day and beginning the real debate, not the debate that goes on before the TV cameras, not the debate that goes on in the talk shows, not the debate that goes on in the press releases, but the real debate so the American public will find out how we are going to vote, and with that come to the issue of not if Congress is going to act but when. It means every one of us will actually have to stand up and be counted. That is because of the President's leadership, because he has forced this forward so we will stand up. There will be a lot of give and take in it, but there is one part of this health care issue that is nonnegotiable. If we send a bill to the President that we want signed, it has to guarantee every American health coverage. The President insists on that. I support him in that. The vast majority of Americans support him in that. The question, of course, is how do you do it? Some have suggested Congress increase taxes and let the Federal Government pay for health care. Others have proposed a mandate on every individual to buy health insurance.”