NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday December 24, 2009

Arizona Democratic Party statement on today's historic Senate vote

Don Bivens, Arizona Democratic Party Chairman, made the following statement in response to this morning’s U.S. Senate vote on health-insurance reform:

“Today’s vote marks a significant moment in the decades-long struggle to pass comprehensive health reform. This vote is a clear victory for the middle class and the thousands of Arizonans who lack access to quality health care. It’s a victory for those who have suffered due to unfair insurance industry practices. And it’s a victory for families, businesses and the country as a whole. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will reduce their costs and expand coverage to more than 30 million Americans while reducing the deficit by more than $130 billion in the next 10 years.

“While the legislation received unanimous support from Democrats, it passed without a single Republican vote. Unfortunately, Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl have shown once again that they will fight for the national GOP agenda rather than for the needs of their own constituents. As we approach the 2010 elections, Sen. McCain will need to explain to voters why he chose to side with insurance executives instead of Arizona families.

“We thank President Obama and Democrats for their leadership on this issue that directly affects so many Arizonans. And we continue to offer our support as Congress moves closer than ever to making comprehensive health-insurance reform a reality.”