SENATE FINANCE, HELP COMMITTEE LEADERS COMMIT TO WORK TOGETHER FOR HEALTH REFORM IN 2009 Baucus, Kennedy, Grassley, Enzi, Rockefeller, Hatch, Dodd met today to discuss prospects for advancing legislation in 111th Congress

Washington, DC— Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee committed today to work together early in the 111th Congress toward comprehensive health care reform. Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and HELP Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) were joined at an afternoon discussion in the U.S. Capitol by Finance Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and HELP Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), as well as Finance Health Care Subcommittee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Health Care Subcommittee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and HELP Children and Families Subcommittee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.). The Senators issued a brief statement following the meeting today:

“Today, millions of Americans live under the shadow of illness or financial strain without sufficient health coverage or any coverage at all in our broken system. Our health care system, while excellent in many regards, falls short of providing the best value for the money we spend. We agree that the members of the 111th Congress should seek to achieve comprehensive health care reform that includes access to effective coverage, quality care for all, and measures to control rising costs. We intend to work together toward quality, affordable health coverage and care for every American.”

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