Health care

November 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Edolphus “Ed” Towns (NY-10) issued the following statement today, following the House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

“I proudly joined my colleagues today in voting for the Affordable Health Care for America Act. This monumental legislation makes good on Democrats’ commitment to treat health care as a fundamental human right. In voting for this bill today, Congress took a meaningful step forward towards delivering on America’s promise as a just nation that upholds our peoples’ rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.    » read more »

11/09/09 -- “The House of Representatives stood up to the fear-mongering and misinformation and passed a historic health care reform bill that has been sixty years in the making. This issue is a big part of why my constituents sent me to Washington and I am proud to have been able to cast a vote to address our nation’s health care disparities and expand access for all Americans."    » read more »

Washington, Nov 7 -- Congressman David Scott made the following statement today about his vote for the Affordable Health Care for America Act:

"It’s easy to criticize and just say no. But doing nothing about the high cost of health insurance is totally unacceptable. I chose to rollup my sleeves and go to work for the worthy cause of affordable healthcare for all Americans.

I voted to bring down costs for all Americans and make healthcare affordable for the 147,000 constituents in my district without health insurance. "    » read more »

November 7, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – In an historic vote to improve health care in America, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA-13) joined her colleagues in the House of Representatives tonight to pass H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Nov 7 - Today Congressman Mark Schauer issued the following statement after voting to pass sweeping health insurance reform legislation.

"Today I was proud to cast a vote in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act because it will offer every single American access to quality, affordable health insurance, strengthen Medicare for seniors by closing the prescription drug donut hole, and lower health care costs for Michigan businesses to help them compete. Additionally, this legislation and accompanying measures will reduce the federal deficit by $109 billion over the next ten years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.    » read more »

November 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-47) today issued the following statement regarding her decision to vote in favor of H.R. 3692, the Affordable Health Care for America Act:

"Tonight I voted in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act - one of the most difficult votes I've taken during my congressional tenure. This bill is far from perfect, and I remain greatly concerned about the costs of the measure. I will continue to work diligently to reduce the high costs of the bill between now and final passage of a conference bill.    » read more »

Legislation Covers 96 percent of Americans, Reduces the Deficit

November 07, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Rep. Linda Sánchez, member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over healthcare, joined her colleagues tonight to vote for the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).

Rep. Linda Sánchez gave the following statement:

“I vote on behalf of the nearly 50 million Americans who don’t have health insurance.

“On behalf of parents who have to choose between taking their sick child to the doctor and paying the electric bill on time.

“On behalf of adult children who are slowly losing their parents to Alzheimer’s, and yet can’t afford the quality care their parents need.    » read more »

“For the thousands of Coloradans who have gone without health care for too long”

November 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Congressman John Salazar helped pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act. As drafted, this bill would immediately end discrimination for pre-existing medical conditions, prevent Americans from being dropped from coverage if they become sick, eliminate co-pays for preventive care, place yearly caps on what someone pays, and eliminate waste, fraud and overpayments to private insurance companies. The vote passed the House of Representatives 220-215.

In Colorado’s Third Congressional District, the Affordable Health Care for America Act will:

• Improve employer-based coverage for 362,000 residents.    » read more »

Washington, Nov 7 -- Floor Statement on the Affordable Health Care for America Act by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34), who joined her colleagues in voting for the historic health care reform legislation:

"Madam Speaker,

I rise in support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, a bill that is undoubtedly the most important single piece of legislation being considered by this 111th Congress, and possibly by any Congress in the last decade.    » read more »

Historic Health Care Act Passes in the House with a Vote of 220-215; It Now Moves to the Senate for Approval

November 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Laura Richardson voted to end the inequitable practices in access to health care that currently exists in this nation and to ensure that the tens of millions of Americans currently without health insurance have affordable access to it and that the quality of care for all Americans is improved. The historic Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), which makes the most sweeping changes to the American health care system in last 40 years, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a 220-215 vote.

The Senate is preparing to vote on a counterpart bill in coming days.    » read more »

Pingree tells HHS Secretary Sebelius that investment bankers shouldn’t be getting vaccines ahead of high-risk individuals

November 9, 2009 -- Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is demanding an explanation of reports that executives at Wall Street banks have been getting vaccinations for the H1N1 virus while high-risk individuals are going without.

“I was stunned to hear that investment bankers at Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan may be getting these flu shots while children, pregnant women and health care workers in Maine are still waiting for theirs,” Pingree said. “I’m afraid this is going to turn out to be another example of Wall Street thinking that they live by a different set of rules than the rest of us.”    » read more »

November 9, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement praising provisions in the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) that will improve access to Medicaid and reduce Medicare Part D costs for people living with HIV/AIDS. H.R. 3962 passed the House on Saturday by a vote of 220 to 215:

“Effective drug treatments have improved both health and quality of life for thousands of Americans living with HIV/AIDS. However, many uninsured, low-income HIV-positive individuals still do not have access to these life-saving medications because they generally do not meet Medicaid requirements until becoming disabled by full-blown AIDS.    » read more »

November 7, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today in support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The House will vote on the legislation later tonight. Below are the Speaker’s remarks.

“Madam Speaker, today, as we all know, is an historic moment for our nation and for American families. For nearly a century, leaders of every party and political philosophy – as far back as Teddy Roosevelt - have called for health care for the American people. For generations, the American people have called for affordable, quality health care for their families. Today, the call will be answered. Today, we will pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act.    » read more »

November 7, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders held a press conference following the House passage of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The bill passed by a vote of 220 to 215. Below are the Speaker’s opening remarks:    » read more »

Affordable Health Care for America Act passes with a 220-215 vote

November 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – This evening, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) proudly voted in favor of the final passage of H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act." The bill passed by a vote of 220-215. Pascrell, as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and its Health Subcommittee, worked to help craft the bill during the past several months.

On the House floor this afternoon, Rep. Pascrell gave the following statement in support of the bill:

“Madam Speaker, today is when we must ask ourselves the real reason we came to Congress – was it to fulfill the hopes of the people or to take the path of least resistance?    » read more »