Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, released a statement tonight in response to President Obama's health-care reform address before Congress.
Her entire statement appears below:
"As Congress returns after a month long district work period, hundreds of town hall meetings, and thousands of constituent contacts, what is needed -- what Americans need -- is not a patchwork of insurance reforms that everyone agrees to; rather what the insured, uninsured, underinsured and our wheezing economy need is real affordable healthcare.
"Sixty years ago this fight began, and although we made progress with Truman, Johnson and Clinton, America cannot wait six more decades to finish the job. In my home state of California, the most populous state in the nation and the eighthlargest economy in the world, one-in-five residents lack health insurance completely, hospitals are losing $11 billion annually from non-payment or underpayment of medical bills, five community hospitals have closed, and trauma centers have become an endangered species. The President and the Congress will not be judged on how much we debate change,but rather whether we deliver a health care system that works for all Americans.
"I will continue to reach out and work with the President and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who are committed to comprehensive health care reform. Health care reform that is affordable and accessible to seniors, families, children, small businesses, corporations, the unemployed, and the sick. Health care reform that pays doctors fairly for services rendered. Health care reform that takes the excess out of prescription costs and creates a truly competitive system that strengthens our economy, stabilizes costs, and improves the quality of life for Americans.
"Today, I participated in more than eight hours of discussion on health care. We have heard the President. The hour is late, the need is great and we cannot wait. The time has come for Congress to stop playing politics and to come together to focus on improving people's lives by reforming the health care system. It must provide quality coverage that cannot be taken awayand at a cost that will not threaten a family's finances or burden businesses trying to compete.
"The American people have risen, the President has responded. Now Congress must get to work and finish the job."
