On the recordFebruary 2, 2011
the 112th Congress began just 1 month ago, with both sides of the political aisle voicing a renewed commitment to cooperation. It is not hard to understand why I am disappointed that at the first opportunity, Senate Republicans have chosen to manipulate the open amendment process. The Senate minority is demanding a vote on an amendment to repeal the health care reform law in its entirety--an issue totally unrelated to the bill we are considering, the FAA Transportation Modernization Safety Improvement Act, which creates jobs, makes airline travel safer and more efficient, and offers consumers a `passenger bill of rights.' The Senate's vote today follows the carefully staged show vote a few weeks ago by the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives. The American people have the right to know what a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act really means. Repeal of this law would take away the rights of millions of patients and would eliminate insurance coverage for millions more, from the aging and elderly, to men and women with preexisting conditions, to the most vulnerable children. When you boil away the rhetoric, the only alternative offered to the American people by advocates of repeal is: Don't get sick.…
