Press Release - Cantwell, Obama and Burner Call for Change in the National Agenda to Make Health Care Affordable

Press Release - Cantwell, Obama and Burner Call for Change in the National Agenda to Make Health Care Affordable

On Thursday in Bellevue, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator Barack Obama, and Congressional candidate Darcy Burner rallied to change the agenda in Washington, D.C. and make health care affordable for Washington families. Over 2,000 supporters packed the gymnasium at Bellevue Community College to show their support for Senator Cantwell, Darcy Burner, and a new direction and agenda in Washington, DC.

"Everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care," said Cantwell. "As everyone in this room knows, costs and insurance copays are going up while access is going down. We need real change, but the president and Republican Congressional leadership keep making the wrong choices for Washington state. That's why I'm fighting to change the agenda in D.C. and the direction of the country. We owe Washington seniors a prescription drug plan that works for them, we owe Washington children the preventative care they need to stay healthy, and we owe families across Washington access to quality care close to home."

Cantwell is working to deliver a better Medicare prescription drug program that works for seniors, not special interests. When many seniors were having trouble determining which prescription drug plan was right for them, Cantwell worked to extend the Medicare Part D enrollment deadline, and advocated for protections for our most vulnerable seniors. Unfortunately, the president and Congressional Republicans have chosen to put other priorities above the interests of Washington seniors. Cantwell believes this is out of line with our Northwest values and is fighting for a prescription drug plan that works for seniors, not special interests. Cantwell is also pushing to pass her plan to provide health care coverage to as many as 70,000 Washington children who are currently uninsured. By freeing up additional State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) dollars, Cantwell's bill would help Washington expand coverage to more children in need.

"Quality, affordable health care should be a right for everyone, not a privilege for the few," said Obama. "That's a Democratic value, and that's a value Maria Cantwell and I fight for every day in the Senate. Maria Cantwell has fought for veterans, to keep VA facilities open and make sure our men and women returning from Iraq get the health care they deserve. She's fought for seniors, to fix the Medicare prescription drug plan so it works for families, not special interests. And she's fought for children, to expand health care coverage to thousands of kids here in Washington who don't have insurance. But the party in charge in Washington, DC has different priorities. Time and again, they've put the wealthy few and special interests ahead of working families here in Washington state and across America. We need a new agenda in Washington, DC. We need a Democratic agenda. And that's why we need to do everything we can between now and November 7 to re-elect Maria Cantwell so she can keep fighting for the values we share."

This week, Cantwell is traveling the state on the final leg of her "Putting Us First" tour, talking with Washingtonians about her accomplishments and showing her plans to promote and protect our Northwest values. Again and again, the Republican-controlled Congress and the Bush Administration have put themselves and their special interest friends before the needs of working families, seniors, children and communities here in Washington. Cantwell is committed to changing that agenda, and she is working everyday for the issues that matter most to the people of Washington state.

Cantwell, Obama and Burner were joined at the Bellevue rally by Governor Christine Gregoire, U.S. Representative Jim McDermott, U.S. Representative Jay Inslee, State Representative and candidate for State Senate Rodney Tom, candidate for State Representative Deb Eddy, and State Representative Ross Hunter.

http://www.cantwell.com/news/release/view/?id=200