During a news conference to respond to President Bush’s speech before the American Medical Association, Schakowsky and Judiciary Committee Ranking member John Conyers (D-MI) joined John McCormick, whose 13 month old daughter, Taylor, died while awaiting surgery to repair a malfunctioning shunt in her skull.

“The so-called medical malpractice reform bill, H.R. 5, is an attack on victims who, for the rest of their lives, will suffer as a result of negligence and malpractice, and a disgrace to the memory of John McCormick’s daughter, Taylor, who died at 13 months,” Schakowsky said.

Schakowsky charged that HR 5 will not lower insurance rates for doctors, and will not reduce the epidemic of medical errors that kill 98,000 hospital patients a year.

“This bill will do nothing to eliminate the 1500 cases a year – 4 each and every day – where surgical teams leave medical equipment such as clamps, scalpels and scissors in patients.  HR 5 will not go after the five percent of doctors responsible for fifty percent of medical malpractice cases,” Schakowsky said.

“President Bush claims that medical malpractice victims have hit the jackpot, but patients and fathers like John don’t think they’ve won the lottery.  We will fight for your rights and we will not forget about Taylor.  And will not forget about the patients, victims, and families who suffer each and every day,” Schakowsky said.

Schakowsky is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.  The committee is scheduled to act on H.R. 5 on Thursday.