WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today after attending the White House Summit on Health Care.
“Today President Obama not only took a very productive first step toward putting us on the path to meaningful health care reform, but he began an inclusive process by bringing all stakeholders to the table. He’s being honest about the reasons we’re in this mess – and that reforming health care is a fiscal and economic necessity. As we move forward, I hope all players involved follow his lead by putting good policies above politics.
“Today President Obama not only took a very productive first step toward putting us on the path to meaningful health care reform, but he began an inclusive process by bringing all stakeholders to the table. He’s being honest about the reasons we’re in this mess – and that reforming health care is a fiscal and economic necessity. As we move forward, I hope all players involved follow his lead by putting good policies above politics.
“Our health care crisis intensifies by the day, as this recession continues to threaten health care coverage for millions of Americans. Lives are literally on the line: As more workers lose their jobs, more families lose health insurance. This administration and Congress have already made early progress to address this by helping workers maintain their health care coverage between jobs. By reducing the COBRA premiums for workers who’ve lost their jobs in this recession, we’ve extended a lifeline for seven million Americans who need affordable health insurance.
“But as President Obama has said, we have to insist on affordable health care coverage for every child, every older American and every worker as a basic moral principle. Today was just the beginning. I look forward to working with President Obama, the relevant committees of jurisdiction in the House, and across party lines to expand access to affordable, quality health care coverage for America’s workers and families. With the political will, commitment and leadership President Obama is showing, I believe we can finally deliver on ground-breaking health care reform that will help solve our long-term fiscal challenges and get Americans the coverage they deserve.”
Miller’s committee is planning a series of hearings to examine improving health care coverage for workers. It begins next week as the House Health Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee holds a hearing on strengthening employer-based health care.
Prior to today’s summit, Miller met privately with President Obama and U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), the committee's senior Republican, to discuss the committee’s agenda of rebuilding and strengthening the nation’s middle class.
“But as President Obama has said, we have to insist on affordable health care coverage for every child, every older American and every worker as a basic moral principle. Today was just the beginning. I look forward to working with President Obama, the relevant committees of jurisdiction in the House, and across party lines to expand access to affordable, quality health care coverage for America’s workers and families. With the political will, commitment and leadership President Obama is showing, I believe we can finally deliver on ground-breaking health care reform that will help solve our long-term fiscal challenges and get Americans the coverage they deserve.”
Miller’s committee is planning a series of hearings to examine improving health care coverage for workers. It begins next week as the House Health Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee holds a hearing on strengthening employer-based health care.
Prior to today’s summit, Miller met privately with President Obama and U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), the committee's senior Republican, to discuss the committee’s agenda of rebuilding and strengthening the nation’s middle class.
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