Edwards Campaign Press Release - Edwards: Congress Shouldn't Have Health Care If Americans Don't

Second Major Iowa Ad Highlights Plan to Hold Congress Accountable for Passing Universal Health Care

Des Moines, Iowa – Senator John Edwards begins his second wave of Iowa television advertisements later today with an ad that features Edwards' plan to hold Congress accountable for passing universal health care within six months of him taking office. The ad will run statewide.

"We all want universal health care – but just having a plan is not enough," Edwards said. "We've seen plans fail before in Congress, and they will again unless we have a new approach. We have to be willing to take on the drug companies, insurance companies, and their Washington lobbyists who killed reform last time. But if you're defending the system, taking money from their lobbyists and giving them a seat at the table, reform is just not going to happen."

On the first day of Edwards' administration, he will submit legislation that ends health care coverage for the president, all members of Congress, and all senior political appointees in the legislative and executive branches of government on July 20th, 2009 -- unless Congress has enacted universal health care reform.

Edwards will require Congress to pass universal health insurance that meets four principles: (1) It must be truly universal; (2) Anyone who has health care must be able to keep it and pay less for it; (3) Anyone who doesn't have health care must get it, with help if they can't afford it; (4) Doctors and patients, not insurance companies and HMOs, must have control of health care decisions.

The ad runs 30 seconds and is posted on Edwards' Iowa webpage – www.JohnEdwards.com/Iowa. The transcript of the ad follows:

"When I'm president I'm going to say to members of Congress and members of my administration, including my cabinet: I'm glad that you have health care coverage and your family has health care coverage. But if you don't pass universal health care by July of 2009 – in six months – I'm going to use my power as president to take your health care away from you. [Applause] There's no excuse for politicians in Washington having health care when you don't have health care. I'm John Edwards and I approve this message."

Today's announcement builds on Edwards' growing momentum in Iowa over the past month, including:

• October 15: The Iowa State Council of the SEIU endorses Edwards, followed quickly by the endorsements of 11 other SEIU state councils representing more than a million SEIU members.
• October 18: Edwards wins the endorsement of the Iowa Postal Workers Union – representing workers in all 99 Iowa counties.
• October 27: Edwards becomes the first candidate to visit – and take questions from Iowans – in all 99 Iowa counties.
• November 9: Caucus for Priorities, representing 10,000 Iowa caucus goers, endorses Edwards.
• November 9: Edwards becomes the first candidate to announce County Steering Committees in all 99 counties, reaffirming the growing strength of his statewide organization.
• November 10: At the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner, Edwards is the first candidate to speak and delivers a rousing call for Americans to rise up and meet "the great moral test of our generation" – ensuring that our kids have a better life than we've had.
• November 11: Edwards releases an 80 page policy book entitled: "The Plan to Build One America," and announces that more than 100,000 copies of the book will be delivered to Iowa caucus goers in the coming weeks.