Madam Speaker, I am very encouraged by the progress made on health insurance reform this Congress.  However, we are not there yet, and we cannot let this opportunity pass us by.

For millions of people without insurance, health reform will mean access to affordable, quality coverage.  But what will it mean for people who already have insurance?  For them, health reform will create stronger consumer protections that ensure coverage isn’t dropped or scaled back with they get sick; it will ensure lower out-of-pocket costs to make coverage more affordable; and it will provide greater access to routine checkups and preventive care.

In short, health reform will mean more security and stability for millions of Americans, and we should not make them wait any longer for these common sense reforms. 

Thank you.