Media

“The many contributions of Latinos reflect America's diversity, our rich heritage and a promising future. And Hispanic Americans will continue to add to our national portrait, to our culture, and to our history of progress..."

Reform opponents continue to spread myths about components of America's Affordable Health Choices Act, including the nonsensical claim that the federal government has no constitutionally valid role in reforming our health care system--apparently ignoring the validity of Medicare and other popular federal health reforms.

MYTH: "Health insurance reform could be unconstitutional ... or violate the 10th amendment."

FACT: As with Medicare and Medicaid, the federal government has the Constitutional power to reform our health care system.

The 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution states:

The economic recession has made the growing college affordability crisis even worse for America's students and families. Expanding access to an affordable college education is one of surest ways we can build our way out of this recession, and build a stronger, more competitive American economy for years to come. One of President Obama's most important strategies for helping regain our nation's lost economic ground is to ensure that America once again leads the world in college graduates by 2020. To get there, we need to dramatically re-work our nation's financial aid programs so that they deliver student aid more effectively to more students and families - and are more cost-effective for taxpayers.

By a vote of 312-114, this afternoon the House passed the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act (HR 3246) which strengthens and reauthorizes the Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Program -- investing in a diverse range of near-term and long-term vehicle technologies that will improve fuel efficiency, support domestic research and manufacturing, and lead to greater consumer choice of vehicle technologies and fuels.

American innovation must bring about new vehicle technologies to reduce our dependence on petroleum, reduce dangerous C02 emissions by vehicles, and strengthen our economy and protect American jobs. The bill authorizes $550 million per year for the next five years (increasing with inflation) for all vehicle technology programs at the Department of Energy:

Assuring the affordability of health care for all Americans and requiring accountability for insurance companies are two of our central principles in this reform.

We look forward to studying the impact of the Senate Finance Committee Chairman's mark on America's families and businesses, and on the cost of health care. The fifth and final Congressional committee is now putting forward a product that will move this historic debate forward.

“We also have a moral responsibility to pass health insurance reform and we will do so this year. It is a moral imperative, a health issue, it is an economic issue. I believe that we can do so best by increasing competition, and by increasing competition we will again, improve quality, lower costs, expand coverage, and maintain choice..."