Healthcare Intro of the Representative

Healthcare

Intro of the Representative

Senator Edward Kennedy is a democrat from Massachusetts. He has served as a senator since 1962 and has served the country for forty six years. He is currently the second most senior member of the senate. He has also served as the Chairman for the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions along with Senator Kennedy

Kennedy is one of the most outspoken senators as it pertains to healthcare reform.

Although he is currently quite ill, he continues to works toward the goal of providing affordable healthcare to all Americans. He is also committed to improving the healthcare delivery system in America. Kennedy wants to ensure that Americans have the best quality care that is inexpensive ("Healthcare"). He also believes in the promotion of prevention and wellness to decrease overall healthcare costs. Overall Kennedy believes that "Our health system, in short, does not meet the needs of our citizens, or our country. It fails to honor the daily sacrifices of our physicians, nurses and others who work heroically every day to provide the best care possible ("Healthcare")."

As it pertains to abortion Senator Kennedy is pro-choice and believes that women should have control over their reproductive rights. It has also been a staunch supporter of the plan b contraceptive as a way to prevent the need for abortion. He has also been a supporter of Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor ("Healthcare"). He believes that America has a responsibility to provide funding to continue these two programs.

The current bill before congress was actually drafted by senators Edward Kennedy and Christopher Dodd. Senator Kennedy's past action as it relates to voting and the sponsorship of bills includes the reauthorizing of the Children's Health Insurance Program that occurred in January. Kennedy plays a vital role in developing this particular legislation. Kennedy is also a supporter of the February stimulus package which included provisions to invest $20 billion in the health information technology infrastructure.

An individual from the Republican party that shares many of the views of Senator Kennedy is Senator Susan Collins a moderate republican from Maine ("Biography"). Collins was first elected in 1996 and again in 2002 and 2008 ("Biography"). She is a ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee ("Biography"). This committee governs the Department of Homeland security. She also served on the for six years on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions along with Senator Kennedy ("Biography").

As it pertains specifically to the issue of healthcare Collins has long been an advocate of affordable healthcare insurance. She has been particularly encouraging of healthcare designed to assist those living in rural areas. In addition she coauthored the Access to Affordable Health Care Act. This bill is designed as a way to introduce universal healthcare to America. In addition

"The bill also strengthens the health care safety net and addresses inequities in the Medicare system. In addition, Senator Collins led the fight to restore critical f funding to Medicare for home health care so that elderly citizens and disabled can receive needed care in their own homes ("Biography")."

Obviously the senator encourages the funding of both Medicaid and Medicare as she has fought to ensure that both are funded correctly. Collins was also a supporter of the stimulus package that improves healthcare information technology.

As it pertains to abortions Susan Collins is also pro-choice and believes in stem cell research. She is adamant about the right of a woman to choose just as Senator Kennedy. She also voted no on prohibiting HHS grants to organization who perform abortions. She has also been a proponent of expanding stem cell research.

In both the present and the past Collins has worked to ensure that healthcare coverage is affordable. From the bill that she coauthored with Senator Kennedy to her current effort to get universal healthcare legislation passed. Recently she has sponsored the funding of biomedical research for the Maine Medical Center ("Funding for Biomedical Research…").

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