Vote on Health Care reform “A profile in courage”
     Statement by Jim Duffett, Executive Director,
Campaign for Better Health Care
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Hardworking Americans will no longer be taken advantage by the insurance industry, and 31 million of our brothers and sisters will now begin to have access to affordable and accessible health care, due to the courageous vote that 216 members of Congress gave today.
Today’s vote by many members of Congress was a profile in courage. Their vote today will go down in history, just as it did with the members of Congress who voted in 1935 for the enactment of Social Security, and in 1965 for the enactment of Medicare. The American people will now enjoy the security and peace of mind that comes from knowing they and their families will be able to access affordable care when they need it.
The Campaign for Better Health Care applauds the vote in the U.S. Congress and wishes to thank all those members of Congress who stood by America’s hard working families, small businesses and providers. It is very disappointing that Congressman Lipinski, Congressman Roskam, Congressman Kirk , and Congresswoman Biggert voted against their constituents and instead sided with the powerful insurance industry. Fortunately, the American people won today, despite the choice of these members of Congress to engage in political gamesmanship in Washington instead of fighting for their constituents.
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We also applaud the leadership of Illinois’ U.S. Senators, Richard Durbin and Roland Burris, who stood their ground and fought for the hard working people and small businesses of Illinois. U.S. Senator Durbin played an extra special role in making sure that the reform proposal passed the Senate.
