Grayson reading names of dead on House floor
By Tony Romm - 11/04/09 09:24 PM ET
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) is still on the House floor this evening, reading the names and telling the stories of constituents whose struggles with their health insurance providers prevented them from obtaining life-saving care.
The congressman -- famous for describing Republicans' healthcare plan as one that urged sick Americans to "die quickly" -- began his speech Wednesday night by listing districts represented by Republicans and noting how many voters in those districts died because they lacked adequate health coverage.
"Is it really asking too much of us that we keep people alive?" Grayson inquired during his speech. "We know according to the Harvard study we will keep these people alive."
That tactic, however, almost immediately angered Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), who promptly requested Grayson's remarks be taken down.
But when the House reconvened, Grayson continued naming GOP lawmakers and listing those who died. He also began relating healthcare horror stories that voters across the country submitted to his Web site, Namesofthedead.com -- an effort that earned Grayson considerable GOP scorn last month.
"I could go on, and on, and on. We have received hundreds upon hundreds of stories just like these. And I will tell you, you would have to have hard, hard hearts to ignore them," Grayson said after relating a number of voters' submitted stories.
"And now is our chance to do something about it," he added. "Now is our chance to see to it that everyone in America can see a doctor if he or she needs to, that everyone in American has affordable, comprehensive, and most important of all, universal healthcare."
"We can save these people, or we can let them die," Grayson concluded, noting Democrats and Republicans alike ought to "think about why they are here" before they vote on Democrats' healthcare bill, likely this weekend. "I vote for life!"
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