Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine issued a statement this afternoon following the Senate Finance Committee’s 14-9 vote to pass health insurance reform legislation out of committee. Here’s the full text:
Today’s action by the Senate Finance Committee represents a big step forward towards the enactment of comprehensive health insurance reform.
I want to commend Chairman Baucus for his leadership and thank all the Democrats on the committee for their tireless work to incorporate the best ideas from both sides of the aisle. Last week, we began to see the fruits of that labor as prominent leaders from outside Washington – including former Bush Administration Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole and Bill Frist, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent – came out in favor of reform. Senator Snowe’s decision to support the Finance Committee’s legislation, because “the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time,” brings a renewed sense of momentum to the cause.
We have been debating health reform for generations. Now, after nearly a year of intense study and deliberation, five Congressional committees have given us a strong framework to keep making progress. There is still much work ahead, and we know insurance industry lobbyists and their friends in Congress will do everything within their power to kill reform and maintain the status quo. But we are closer than ever before to enacting reform that achieves President Obama’s goals of providing more security and stability to people who have insurance, more quality, affordable choices for those who don’t and reining in the high costs of health care for American families, businesses and our government.
Thanks to President Obama’s strong vision and commitment, and the commitment of like-minded Members of Congress, we are going to deliver health insurance reform to the American people this year. Inaction is not an option.
