Political Quotes

“I am truly puzzled at the leadership on the other side. We are told that the administration sent this bill over here as an emergency. Yet I think they know that this bill is likely to be defeated because of the way it is being dealt with. If it is an emergency, ought we not to work together so that we can pass a bill? What is happening here today will result in the delay of this bill being passed. The chairman of our committee says, of course, we are for the volunteers and I believe he is sincere. But if we are for the volunteers, why do we not listen to the volunteers? In the first 2 months of the administration's smallpox vaccine program, only about 25,000 of a planned 450,000 health workers have received the vaccine. Last week, three people died from heart attacks after receiving the vaccine, two health workers and a 55-year-old National Guard member. All three people had risk factors for heart disease, although it is not currently known whether the vaccine caused the heart attacks. As a result of these challenges, a compensation program is needed, but these health care workers, these first responders are worried that the bill before us will not adequately provide for education and screening of the workers who are being asked to take the vaccine. If we screen the people who are at risk, we may save their lives and we can save money. I am disappointed. I think we all know this bill is likely to go down to defeat, and unnecessarily so.”