March 22, 2010
 
Rockefeller Commends House of Representatives’ Passage of Landmark Health Care Reform Bill
Applauds Key Improvements to Senate-passed Bill
 
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
 
Washington, DC (HNN) — Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, issued the following statement commending the House of Representatives for passing comprehensive health care reform legislation. The legislation passed in the House of Representatives and now heads back to the Senate for a final vote.
 
“I applaud the House of Representatives for taking such a strong vote in favor of the American people and against our broken health care system. West Virginia can be proud that both Congressman Nick Rahall and Congressman Allan Mollohan took a stand to cast their votes in support of this legislation.
 
“We have heard loud and clear from the American people—they want more affordable coverage, they want significant reforms for private health insurance companies, and they want to see Congress pass meaningful legislation that truly meets their needs.
 
“Many of the changes that the House of Representatives secured today are changes that I have been fighting for all along, including applying health insurance reforms to more private health insurance plans, protecting Medicare and eliminating the doughnut hole for our seniors, and increasing Medicaid funding available to our states. This legislation improves coverage by giving 32 million Americans access to affordable health insurance, protects consumers from unfair health insurance company practices, and reduces the deficit by over $143 billion in 10 years, which is cited as our biggest deficit reduction in a decade.
 
“We are on the cusp of meaningful health insurance reform, and with only a few steps to go before the finish line, we cannot lose sight of our shared goal—helping more Americans get the quality, affordable health care they need.
 
“I look forward to Senate consideration of this legislation, and hope that all parties involved can set aside our differences and deliver timely legislation to the President’s desk to be signed into law.”