Hawaiçi’s Congressional delegation praised the historic restructuring of the nation’s health care system as a momentous step forward.
“We took a stand for hard-working middle class families who deserve a better value for their health care dollar,” U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaiçi, said in a statement. “Once the bill is signed into law, Americans will see immediate benefits.”
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaiçi, said the vote in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act moved the nation one step closer to improving health care for all.
“The legislation expands access to health care coverage, improves the quality and availability of services and attempts to slow increasing costs,” Akaka said in a statement. “When the bill becomes law, people with preexisting conditions will be able to get insurance and unfair lifetime limits imposed by insurance companies will be prohibited.”
Said Peter Boylan, Sen. Daniel Inouye’s press secretary: “It is a great day for America and Hawaiçi’s working families. Sen. Inouye looks forward to moving the reconciliation bill through the Senate to conclude this historic action.”
Not everyone was pleased with the vote.
Hawaiçi Republicans believe the health care reform package will not help Hawaiçi citizens, said Jonah Kaçauwai, Hawaiçi Republican Party chairman.
“The bill undermines our prosperity and the prosperity of our children,” Kaçauwai said in a statement. “This complicated and convoluted new government entitlement is another expenditure we are irresponsibly placing on the back of generations to come.”