What is interesting is, if you think about the forming of our country in that debate–again, the Constitutional Convention was public, open, transparent–issues were debated. […]
Sen. Jeff Merkley: Affordable healthcare within scope of FDR’s and founders’ vision
Honor the role and responsibility of representing all of the people of your State, not simply powerful companies and your richest constituents but all of […]
Sen. Cory Booker: Tradition of the Senate is to “slow things down”
We have seen this body, in the very short period of time I have been here, begin to undermine not just things that happened under […]
Sen. Christopher Murphy: Senate not fulfilling role envisioned by Connecticut Compromise
There is, right outside this Chamber, a picture of the authors of the Connecticut Compromise, two of the Connecticut delegates to the Constitutional Convention. … […]
Sen. Charles Schumer: Markup for Obamacare “one of the longest in history”
They considered nearly 300 amendments [to the Affordable Care Act] during the 13-day markup. That was one of the longest in history, as it should […]
Sen. Ron Wyden: Obamacare Senate session the second-longest in US history
As of now, there will not be a single Democratic amendment adopted in the Finance Committee. When the legislation [the Affordable Care Act] went to […]
Sen. Thomas Carper: Obamacare “looked a lot like” what Republicans offered in 1993
We did our homework and found that in 1993, when First Lady Hillary Clinton came up and worked on something called HillaryCare, the Republicans felt […]
Sen. Kamala Harris: GOP health care bill “is the least popular piece of legislation in modern history”
Only 20 percent of Americans support this bill. A majority opposes it in every State in this country. It is the least popular piece of […]
Sen. Jeff Merkley: Markup of Obamacare in HELP committee was its longest ever
In that year [2009], in the HELP Committee–Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee–there were 47 hearings, roundtables, and walkthroughs, a markup that went for more […]
Sen. Dianne Feinstein: Not since before WWI has there been “such a secret, partisan process for passing a major bill”
I just have to say, this is the least transparent process for a major piece of legislation I have seen in my 24 years in […]