Sen. Whitehouse: Health Care Going Off Cliffs Like Thelma & Louise

"Health care is at a crisis point," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI.) during a press call with reporters Tuesday, comparing healthcare to the 1991 film Thelma and Louise.

“The cars heading towards the cliff and we are in it. Our economy is teetering in it is health care costs.” (0:39)


Listen

Coach Oliver Purnell Wants A Slam Dunk Against Cancer

Clemson University's mens basketball coach Oliver Purnell spoke at the Coaches vs. Cancer rally in Washington, D.C. Tuesday.

"Join in our fight against this dreaded disease and join in our fight to have health care reform now," Purnell said. (0:16)
Listen

Obama Believes New Health IT Measures Are Key To Comprehensive Reform Says R.I. Congressman

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), Co-Chair of the 21st Century Health Care Caucus, says he firmly believes that President Barack Obama supports the idea that new health information technology measures should be included in his administration's healthcare reform plan. (:30)
Listen

Hillary Clinton Calls Administration's Health Care Plan "Conservative"

During a discussion at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C., Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls the current healthcare proposal conservative compared to systems used by other countries. (1:00)
Listen

House Minority Whip: Americans Don't Recognize Their Country Anymore

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) shares an anecdote with the Value Voters Summit, in which he asks the audience to imagine a man who has been in a coma and has just awoken.

Cantor says that the man would no longer recognize the U.S.

"We are in a bad reccession, our government owns the biggest car company, and controls the banks. Were talking directly to North Korea and Iran while they develope nuclear weapons. We are also on our way to a government takeover for a healthcare system," Cantor said.

Listen

McConnell: Democrats Not 'Party Of Inclusion'

"Our friends on the left like to think they are the party of inclusion....time and time again how quickly they can turn on someone with a different point of view," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConell (R-K.Y.) said Friday.
Listen

Health Reform Is "Medicine" For Our Economy Says Democrat Moore

“The economy is in the Intensive Care Unit, the disease is the burgeoning cost of healthcare, and the medicine is healthcare reform,” says Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), urging Congress to respond to the need for healthcare reform in a timely manner. (0:36)
Listen

Big Step Healthcare Bill According To Pennsylvania Rep.

Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) says systemic reform is necessary for lowering healthcare costs. In terms of the House healthcare bill, he says it won't be perfect but it will be the biggest step we've ever taken with our healthcare system. (0:29)
Listen

Healthcare Is A Unique American Challenge, Says Rep. Ron Kind

Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) says healthcare brings a “unique American challenge” that requires an “American solution.” He says it's one that offers Americans more stable coverage, stable costs and stable quality. (0:14)
Listen

Healthcare Bill-An Opportunity Not To Be Wasted, Says Rep. Dingell

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) discusses passing a healthcare bill in the House of Representatives. He says, "This is a great opportunity. If we waste it, I can’t tell you when it will return." (0:30)
Listen

Progressive States Network Urges Federal Healthcare Reform

Senator Karen Keiser (D-Wash.) said, “We are doing our best on the state level to achieve what we can, but now we are going to take it up a notch.” Keiser said she and her fellow Congressional partners will work to ensure the federal healthcare reform includes a public health insurance plan and keeps private insurers honest. (0:42)
Listen

Progressive States Network Wants Choice In Healthcare

Senator Karen Keiser (D-Wash.) said the Progressive States Network will work to ensure that the federal healthcare reform package "includes choice, includes good practice, and good outcome." (0:15)
Listen

Senator: Progressive States Network Will Help Solve Healthcare Problem

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) expressed optimism that, by working with the federal legislature and state governments, the Progressive States Network will help solve the healthcare "problem." (0:24)
Listen

McCain Sounds Off On Health Care Predictions

Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said that he hopes health care bill will go back to the drawing board after CBO released its projection numbers (0:13).
Listen

America's Future Now Radio Row: Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton

Talk Radio News Service’s Washington Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner talks to Congresswomen Eleanor Holmes Norton on Healthcare. (7:09)
Listen

The unemployment crisis

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Correspondent Michael Ruhl reports on the recent release of the unemployment statistics for March.

Long segment: (01:00)
Short segment: (00:32)
Listen

The unemployment statistics for march

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Keith Hall testifies before Congress on the nation's unemployment numbers from March 2009, and how the recession has affected employment.

Hall said that unemployment numbers have climbed from 8.1 percent to 8.5 percent, and that the industries hardest hit are manufacturing, construction, and temporary services.

(00:34)
Listen

Boccieri: Obama's speech showed bold leadership

By Suzia van Swol and Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Congressman John Boccieri (D-Ohio) says that President Obama's Address to the Congress, "showed the type of bold leadership that was required for a nation in crisis."
Boccieri says that investing in healthcare and education are going to be what propels us towards prosperity. (0:38)


Listen

We must put these words into actions

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Following the President's address to Congress on Tuesday night, Michael Ruhl spoke with Paul Tonko (D-NY) about his reaction to the speech. Tonko spoke about the importance of Health IT and general healthcare reform, and had confidence in the President's approach. He thought President Obama displayed good leadership and strength of character in the approaches he set forward to dealing with the crises the country faces.

Tonko is a freshman in Congress, and spoke of a "natural excitement" he felt going into the address and while on the house of the floor. When asked about how he would tell future generations about what he saw that evening, Congressman Tonko said the best way is to put those words into actions. (03:20)
Listen

Obama a great dose of "reality" and "inspiration"

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Michael Ruhl interviewed Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO) in Statuary Hall following the President's address to Congress. He is confident in the President being bipartisan, and said that his speech was a dose of "reality" and "inspiration". He said that Energy, Education, and Healthcare are all intertwined with the economic solutions the President is putting forward. (02:07)
Listen