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"If you are in the market for health insurance today, because of the Patient’s Bill of Rights, you are now protected by the strongest consumer protections in American history – protections now law because Congressional Democrats fought for you," said Congressman Garamendi, a key health care advisor to President Bill Clinton. "At a time when we should be focused on creating the jobs millions of Americans desperately need, today House Republicans voted to take away consumer protections from you, putting the insurance industry back in charge of your health care."

Patti and I are sad to learn of Sargent Shriver's passing. Our lives were shaped, inspired, and improved by the extraordinary vision and talent of Sargent Shriver when he built the Peace Corps. We had the awesome experience to join the Peace Corps in its third year and to be assigned to Ethiopia. Were it not for Shriver's leadership, this iconic and pure American program would never exist.

"Consumers gained a lot of protections in the Patient's Bill of Rights, and they have a lot to lose if House Republicans succeed in repealing health care reform. People in our communities – nearly 500,000 small business owners, seniors, working families, and young adults – would see vital and popular protections taken away," Congressman Garamendi said.

"LAVTA is purchasing buses made in Northern California, putting our neighbors to work and allowing more money to flow through our local economy. We must Make It In America if we’re going to make it in America, and American-made buses are precisely the types of investments we need to get out of our economic slump," Garamendi added. "Rapid bus transit also makes bus travel faster and more reliable – a critical step to get residents out of their cars and into public transit."

"We don’t know all the answers yet, but we do know that senseless violence has no place in our country. We must come together as a Congress and as a nation united as Americans."

"Today I fought to save the Patients’ Bill of Rights and protect patients and consumers from the greed of insurance companies. Unfortunately, the House Republican majority voted to set up a vote next week that will force seniors to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for prescription drugs, to allow insurance companies to kick you off your insurance when you get sick, and to deprive you of needed preventative screenings recommended by your doctor," said Congressman Garamendi, a former health care advisor to President Bill Clinton.

"As we climb out of a deep recession, the insurance companies are kicking us back down. Fortunately, for rate increases over 10%, the 2010 health care reform allows the Federal government to review, question, and disclose facts to the public about the increase."