Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District DFL

St. Paul (December 24, 2009) — The DFL Party released this statement from Chair Brian Melendez on the Senate’s passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

“The health-reform bill that the Senate just passed is the most historic legislation since Social Security and the most comprehensive reform of the health-care system since Medicare was created in 1965. This legislation will improve health insurance for those who already have it, increase access for 31 million Americans who don’t, end discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and eliminate insurance companies’ worst practices. It takes long-overdue steps to improve Medicare by filling the Part D ‘donut hole’ and looks out for our future by cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse.

“This legislation isn’t perfect — it results from some tough compromises and concessions. But it dramatically improves upon the status quo, and it lays the groundwork for further reform down the road. Congressional Democrats and President Obama have come further than ever before in reforming the broken health-care system. And because of the hard work of Senators Klobuchar and Franken, this bill is better for Minnesotans and better for America. This bill is a wonderful gift to the American people on Christmas Eve, and will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in the new year.”