I just left the bipartisan health care reform summit with President Obama where I had a chance to listen to and discuss many different proposals for solving the health care crisis facing our nation.
As I heard from many of my colleagues about their ideas, I kept thinking back to Marcelas Owens, a 10 year-old boy I met last year whose mom got sick, lost her job and then lost her health care. Because she couldn’t get the care she needed, she died and Marcelas and his two little sisters lost their mom. I told the President and the other members of Congress in the room today that we need to be thinking about people like Marcelas and the thousands of other Washington state families and businesses I hear from every single day on this issue.
When I think about Marcelas, I know we can’t turn back.
I also told the President and my colleagues that this is why so many Americans are passionate about a public option –- because, like me, they agree that it will give them a choice when other options come up short.
What I listened for in today’s summit was whether any alternative proposals to the current bill will give Americans the choices they need. Will an alternative proposal make sure we never let another little boy lose his mom because of our broken health insurance system?
I think we made some progress today. People were respectful and we talked about some heavy policy issues — but there’s more work to do. I truly do want to thank the nearly 3,000 of you who shared your health care ideas with me, many of which I brought with me to the meeting today. I’m so moved by your stories, and I want you to know I am committed to fighting harder than ever to tackle this problem and make sure health care finally works for –- not against –- Washington’s families and businesses.