WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Edward Kennedy made his first appearance on Capitol Hill in weeks on Tuesday to continue his fight for universal health care.
"As the economic crisis worsens and the unemployment rate rises, the number of uninsured citizens will grow," Kennedy, who has been battling brain cancer, said in a statement entered into the record for a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Tuesday.
"In February 2009, more than eight percent of Americans were unemployed and 1.1 million of them will become uninsured with each one percent increase in unemployment. To guarantee that all Americans have access to quality medical services, we clearly must reform the current health insurance market," Kennedy said.
The Massachusetts Democrat, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, will work in Washington for about two weeks until the Senate breaks for Easter. During that time, Kennedy will focus on health care reform and his national service bill, according to spokesman Anthony Coley.
From CNN Politics
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Sure Ted, Bankrupt us !
Welcome back Ted!
»The good man is back. Good.
I couldn't agree more. The monthly costs for the health care thieves is far despicable. No doctor or insurance company should ever have the right to force you to go far into debt, or not have your health taken care of, just because their own greed forces the prices sky high.
My husband just got a new job. The health care is going to cost us over $200 a paycheck biweekly. Thats disgusting. It should never ever be that high. I also imagine it doesn't cost nearly that much for actually health care, but the greed of providers forces the rates higher.
Health care should not be a private business.
»Good news,indeed.
WELCOME back Senator, you were MISSED terribly! Stay healthy and don't over do it.
Ted, Ted, Ted...
Why don't you retire and let the people of MA have proportional representation in the senate?
You are a hypocrite who has a gold-plated health plan paid for by the American public... yet you are worth over $200 million and could easily afford to pay your own way.
Practice what you preach, Senator.
And just who would be paying for this? And I expect he wants illegals to be covered too.
We sure need true patriats like him. Kennedy serves his country in honor. For him is 'country first'!
Great higher taxes, more goverment control, more people on welfare.