Levin Statement at Hearing on Health Care Reform and its Impact on the Economy
January 26, 2011
Washington D.C. - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander M. Levin (D-MI) delivered the following statement today at a full Committee hearing on health care reform and its impact on the economy:
"President Obama said last night that ‘instead of refighting the battles of the last two years, let's fix what needs fixing and move forward.' My concern about this hearing is that, indeed, we'll be refighting the battles of the last two years.
"As to 1099, we introduced legislation in the last session in the past year and it was opposed by the then minority because of the pay-for provisions. Ironically, much of what was in the pay-for is now the law of the land. We should have acted on 1099 in the last session.
"In his speech, the President also said ‘what I am not willing to do is to go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition.' He went on to point out that the law is now making prescription drugs cheaper for seniors and giving uninsured students a chance to stay on their parents' coverage.
"So I repeat, he then went on to say, ‘instead of fighting the battles of the last two years, let's fix what needs fixing and move forward.' I think that's exactly what we should do and I would hope that will be the tone of the hearing today."
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