Russ Feingold: “once again we are faced with an ill- advised medical malpractice bill coming to the Senate floor without any committee…”

“once again we are faced with an ill- advised medical malpractice bill coming to the Senate floor without any committee consideration. Some argue that we have a malpractice insurance ``crisis'' that is driving doctors from the practice of medicine, particularly in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, or OB/GYN. But we have not yet explored that issue in the Senate at all. No committee has held hearings or marked up a bill on this topic. Instead, an extreme proposal has been brought directly to the floor and Senators are expected to vote for it because there is a crisis. That is not how the legislative process should work on an issue of importance to so many people. I would like very much for Congress to address the problem of malpractice insurance premiums once we understand the seriousness of the problem and the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. But by bringing this bill directly to the floor, the majority shows that it is not serious about addressing the problem. It just wants to play a political card. To the extent that there really is a malpractice insurance problem, what is going on here is a cynical exercise, designed only to fail and to provide fodder for political attacks. I will vote ``no'' on cloture.”