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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep. Ronald
G. Waters |
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Waters applauds the President for health-care reform
HARRISBURG, March 24 – Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Ronald Waters, D-Delaware/Phila., is applauding President Barack Obama for his work in getting health-care reform legislation passed this week.
"I start by giving kudos to President Obama for his strong leadership on health-care reform. This historic legislation is 100 years in the making," Waters said.
In response to the concerns of those who refer to themselves as pro-life, Waters said, "If you want to talk about pro-life, this health-care reform legislation is pro-life. It will provide coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans and benefit children born with pre-existing conditions."
Waters also outlined some of the other benefits of the bill: "It will also close the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ for prescription drugs. Insurance companies won't be able to arbitrarily drop your coverage, and those who cannot afford insurance will be eligible to receive subsidies. The law will also allow children to stay on their parents’ insurance plan until age 26," he said.
Waters also expressed his disappointment over some of the racist comments that African-American and Latino lawmakers had to endure because of their support for the bill.
"I was shocked to hear news that some Tea Party protesters called civil rights veteran Representative John Lewis of Georgia the N-word, and a protester spat on Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri," Waters said. "In addition, House Majority Whip Representative James Clyburn received faxes with nooses and racial slurs.
"You would think that a bill meant to help all Americans would bring us all together. Instead, some of those who oppose the bill are taking their disagreement a little too far and I cannot believe this is happening in 2010."
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