Boehner Says Americans Don't Want Public Option

House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) believes the American people don’t want a government-run health care plan. “Yet the Democrats come forward with a bill that really has a government takeover for our health care system,” says Boehner. (00:28)
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California Democrat: New Sanctions Will Force Iranians To Think Twice

Speaking during the markup of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) says, “This legislation seeks to target Iran’s ongoing dependence on refined petroleum imports. It is not a magic bullet, but it will at least force the Iranians to think twice about continuing to flout the will of the international community.” (00:16)

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California Democrat: We Must Prevent Iran From Producing Nuclear Arms

During a markup of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) says, “In marking up H.R. 2194, I have one transcendent goal in mind: To maximize the chances that Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism, will be prevented from acquiring the capacity to produce nuclear arms. That capacity would pose perhaps the most serious strategic threat to our nation." (:23)

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Public Option Won't Discriminate Says Ohio Senator

Says Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio.), “The public option will not use pre-existing conditions, [it] won't discriminate against women who have had c-sections or women who have been victims of domestic violence and call that a pre-existing condition.” (00:34)
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Ohio Senator Rails Against High Salaries For Health Insurance CEO's

Says Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), “Health insurance companies, their average CEO salary is into eight figures, that would be over ten million chuck." Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) follows by seconding Brown's incredulity. (00:18)

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Public Option Would Be Good For Small Businesses Says Schumer

Says Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), “Small businesses want to provide the coverage. They know it’s good for their workers, good for moral and good for keeping. They just can’t afford [health insurance] any longer and that’s why we need a public option.” (00:11)

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Schumer Worried About Skyrocketing Private Health Insurance Costs

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who supports the public option plan being pushed for by liberals in the Senate, explains that he wants to see the system reformed before health insurance premiums become too expensive for Americans. (00:33)
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House Democrat Accuses GSA Of Taking Too Long To Respond To Congressional Inquiries

Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) accused the General Services Administration of taking too long in developing their list of projects they intend to carry out using Recovery Act funds during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing with Public Buildings Service Commissioner Robert Peck.

“May sixth I sent a letter to GSA asking for a specific response to the renovation of the federal building at the United Nation Plaza in San Fransico. FIve months later, we got a response. That’s not acceptable. Maybe GSA needs some stimulus to get enough people on board to answer our inquires. We don’t have time to be bird-dogging, we expect you to respond and I expect better response in the future,” said Oberstar. (0:29)

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Veterans Affairs Secretary Says Troops Are Returning Home With 'Invisible Wounds'

“Invisible wounds are as debilitating as the physical trauma sustained on those battlefields," said Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki during a mental health summit in Washington, D.C. "Warriors suffer emotional injuries just as they do physical ones.” (0:19)

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Gates Warns Against Crossing Soldiers' Mental Boundaries

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Veterans says that Afghanistan is the longest war the U.S. has fought with an all-volunteer army. He states that U.S. troops have shown remarkable resilience, but notes that nobody knows the extent of their limits of the consequence of crossing them. (0:31)
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Gates: After Waging War, Mental Health Of U.S. Servicemen And Women Highest Priority

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Veterans Affairs Secretary Erik Shinseki spoke out Monday on the importance of treatment and prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] among U.S. servicemen and women.

“Beyond waging the wars we are in, treatment of our wounded, their continuing care and eventual re-integration into every day life is my highest priority. I consider this a solemn pact between those who have risked and suffered and the nation that owes them its eternal gratitude,” said Gates during a mental health summit in Washington, D.C (0:19)
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New Democrat Network President Opposes Putting Citizenship Inquiry In 2010 Census

President and Founder of New Democrat Network Simon Rosenberg responded Tuesday to an amendment proposed by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) that would put a question regarding citizenship on the U.S. census.

“It will undoubtably disrupt the orderly execution of the count itself. it will also politicize the census, causing some to sit out, making it less accurate.” (0:10)

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Civil Rights Activist Opposes Amendment To Census That Questions Citizenship

President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Wade Henderson expresses disdain with a sudden change to the 2010 census that would have the study inquire if the taker is a U.S. citizen. The amendment was proposed by David Vitter (R-L.a.).

“Sen. Vitter comes in now at the last minute proposing an amendment that on it’s face appears innocent but has the impact indeed of bringing the entire process to a halt," Henderson said. "Inflaming public attitude about the illegal immigration issue in ways are terribly unhelpful to the country as a whole." (0:20)

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Medical Professional Urges Clinicians To Consider Early H1N1 Treatment

Dr. Nikki Shindo of the World Health Organization encourages clinicians not to delay treatment of patients who show symptoms of the H1N1 virus. According to Shindo, treatment at early stage can stop the spread of virus. (0:21)

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Sen. Collins: There Are Fundamental Problems With Finance Committee Bill

“I do think the goal of a health care reform bill is an important one and I’m going to continue to work with members from both sides of the isle,” says Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). However, the Senator says she cannot support the Finance Committee's bill because it has "fundamental problems." (0:26)
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Collins Says No To Finance Committee Bill

“I believe it needs a great deal of work, falls short of the goal of providing affordable health care, doesn’t do enough to rain in costs. It slashes Medicare in a way that I think would be very detrimental to Maine hospitals and I believe the results would cause premiums to rise,” says Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) (00:26)
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Lieberman Fears Baucus Bill Could Raise Health Care Costs

“I worry that, in the middle of this recession that we are beginning to come out of, to pass a bill that will ... actually raise the cost of insurance for a lot of people and a lot of business is not what we want to do,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) (0:27)
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Children's Defense Fund President Says World On The Brink Of Nuclear Suicide

Marian Wright Edelman J.D., Founder and President of the Children’s Defense Fund, speaks at the Mind And Life Institute's 19th annual dialogue between scientific researchers and the Dalai Lama. "And how do you and I stand up and make a mighty noise, to stop the growing divides between the rich and poor? How can our worrying ways be curved and transformed in a world teetering on a brink of nuclear suicide?," Edelman says. (00:50)
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Dalai Lama: This Should Be The Century Of Peace

Mind And Life Institute's, 19th annual dialogue between scientific researchers and the Dalai Lama was held today in Washington, DC.

Tenzin Gyatso, the XIVth Dalai Lama said he believes this century should be the century of peace. Instead of violence, the Dalai Lama says the global community should use intelligence and solve problems through dialogue. (0:45)
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Dalai Lama Holds Hope For Younger Generation

"Our generation [is] now ready to say bye bye," said Tenzin Gyatso, the XIVth Dalai Lama at Mind And Life Institute's, 19th annual dialogue between scientific researchers and the Dalai Lama. The religious leader adds that younger people will be shaping the future. (1:20)
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