U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement tonight following President Barack Obama’s address to a Joint Session of Congress:  

“Tonight President Obama spoke about the health care challenges we face as a nation, presented an outline of what is needed to overcome these challenges and offered the American people a hopeful vision for the future.

“President Obama was clear: the time to act on health care reform is now.

“In August, I held nearly 20 meetings and two town hall events on the topic of health care reform.  I spoke with physicians, patients, small business owners and countless constituents from different backgrounds and circumstances. 

“There is no doubt that health care is costing our small business too much, our families too much and the federal government too much.

“I agree with President Obama - the time to act on health care reform is now.

“It’s time to bring stability and security to those who are just a pink slip away from joining the ranks of the uninsured.  It’s time to provide coverage to the 104,000 individuals lacking insurance in Washington’s 2nd Congressional District.  And it’s time to give much-needed financial relief to families and small business owners.

“Health care reform will bring accountability to taxpayers who have watched health care costs become the largest driver of federal government spending.  Reform will give hard working individuals and small businesses access to affordable health coverage, and give families and businesses needed stability and security.

“It is time to provide relief to those who are struggling to stay afloat under the weight of increasing health care costs and premiums. 

“Tonight, President Obama gave us all reason to hope.  He made a commitment to reform our current health care system by building on the parts of the system that work and fixing the parts that don’t work.  The President committed to provide stability and security to those who have health insurance, provide insurance to those who don’t, and to slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses and our government.

“These are the stepping stones we must use to make President Obama’s vision for health care reform a reality.  Now is the time to move forward.”