Health Care Debate

Floor Speech

HEALTH CARE DEBATE -- (Senate - June 17, 2009)

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we began this year dedicated to delivering the change the American people demanded in November. We began this Congress committed to making life better for the middle class, for hard-working families who play by the rules. But the American people also demanded something more. They said that we, their leaders, should not be unwilling to work together. The challenges we face have left no one unscathed. We are all in this hole together, and the only way we climb out of this hole is by doing so together.

When the American people spoke last year, they gave us, above all, a mandate for bipartisanship. It was in that spirit that I wrote my Republican colleagues this spring. In that letter, I said one of the best ways to lift our economy is to keep down health care costs. Almost 50 million Americans have no health care, and the problem grows worse every day.

Every day, more Americans go bankrupt or lose their homes just trying to stay healthy. Even those fortunate enough to have insurance pay a hidden tax for those who do not. What does that mean? It means 50 million people, when they get sick or hurt, go to the nearest emergency room. That emergency room may be across the street or 50 miles from where they are, but that is where they go. That increases the cost of every one of our health insurance policies, it increases the cost of the doctor bills we get, the hospital bills we get, and indigent taxes. If your family has health care, you pay at least $1,000 more than you would if all other families had health care.

In that letter, I expressed my sincere hope that Republicans would work with us to respond to this emergency. I extended my hand. I asked for their help. Although I knew we would disagree at times, I told them I looked forward to an open and honest dialog about how to help struggling Americans.

In this letter, I especially asked Republican colleagues to focus on the concrete and critical crisis that affects children, families, and small businesses every day--a parent cannot take a child to a doctor because insurance does not exist or is prohibitively expensive; a family lives one accident or illness away from financial ruin; small businesses lay off employees because they cannot afford skyrocketing health care premiums. We hear those stories every time we go home.

I asked in that letter that we use the short and valuable time we have to work together in our common interest rather than against each other and against the interests of the American people. I wish I could say Republicans answered those words with deeds of equal good faith. But how have they responded regarding health care? Have they taken the hand we have extended across the aisle? No. Have they taken the seat we offered at the negotiating table? No. Have they engaged in a productive debate about real people and real problems that relate to health care? No. Have they shown they are just as interested as we are in working with each other rather than against each other? No. Have they told us a single thing they are for rather than what they are against? No; it is always what they are against. In fact, ``no'' is all we hear from the Republicans these days. Instead of debating facts, Republicans have committed themselves to a strategy of misinformation and misrepresentation.

We have different priorities. We are committed to lowering the high cost of health care, ensuring every American has access to that quality, affordable care and letting people choose their own doctors, hospitals, and health plans. We are committed to protecting existing coverage when it is good and improving it when it is not and guaranteeing health care for millions, including 9 million children who have none.

I don't believe doing nothing is an option because the costs of doing nothing are too great. We must pass health care reform this year. As we said at the start of this year, at the start of this work period, at the start of this debate, we will continue doing our best to work with Republicans and pass a bipartisan bill.

In spite of the past, I remain optimistic that both Republicans and Democrats recognize how urgent this health care debate is. The health of our citizens and our economy is at stake, and neither will be able to recover if we wait. But as important as bipartisanship is--and it is important--it is not as critical as helping the nearly 50 million Americans who have nowhere to turn, the other 20 million who have bad insurance, and the rest of America, which is paying at least $1,000 more for their insurance policy as a result of people having no insurance.

As I said in my letter this April, in order for this bipartisan process to take root, Republicans must demonstrate a sincere interest in legislating. I hope they do so because one way or another, we are going to get health care reform done.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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