The bill is the House response to President Obama’s signature policy goal: national healthcare reform.
In the Senate, one of two versions being drafted there was approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. And from the Rose Garden of the White House the President promised the bill would be his focus for the next several weeks, until both the House and the Senate have acted.
As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, NMI Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan made the following introductory statement during the opening debate:
“Chairman Miller, Chairman Andrews, I believe that what we do here today and in the coming days and weeks to create health care reform and bring relief to Americans will come to define the 111th Congress.
I know this has not been an easy task. What we are doing is complex and difficult, but we know that it will make a difference in many, many lives. We must remedy the disparities that exist in America’s health care system.
I want to thank the Chairmen for their leadership. Crafting this huge bill in such a short period of time and moving so quickly to institute these much-needed reforms is a remarkable accomplishment in itself.
And I want to thank the staff for all their hard work. I have seen them here on the weekends and late into the night, giving up time with their friends and families to bring these changes to life. Thank you for your counsel, support, and guidance on these issues which are so important to all Americans and to Americans in the territories.
President Obama has pledged to include all Americans in health care reform and I, for one, am committed to do all that I can to help our President keep his promise. To do this, I respectfully ask that changes be made to the many portions of the bill where the four and a half million Americans living in the U.S. territories are excluded. Tomorrow Mr. Pierluisi and I will introduce an amendment that will place the future of our constituents’ health care options on the table for discussion as we move forward in the legislative process.
We have a lot of work ahead of us. But no matter how difficult the work, or how many late nights it requires, we cannot abandon this goal. Enacting this legislation will make long-lasting difference to Americans, to Americans in the territories, and to Americans in the Northern Mariana Islands, and I am certain that we will work hard to ensure that the President and this Congress keep our promise to Americans everywhere.”
Sablan will offer an amendment to the bill on Thursday committing Congress to providing access to quality, affordable health care for Americans in the US insular areas.
