McConnell statement on the passage of the Senate health care bill: "This fight isn't over"

While most of America was sleeping, the US Senate voted to pass its version of health care reform. That bill now must be married to the House bill. On the floor of the Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement:

It's early. I'll be brief. The most obvious problem with the bill before us is that it doesn't do what it was supposed to.

The one test of success for any bill was whether it would lower costs. This bill fails that test.

It's also clear that even many of the people who support this bill with their votes don’t like it.

Otherwise, Democrat leaders wouldn't have had such a tough time rounding up votes.

Otherwise, Democrat leaders wouldn't have had votes on it in the middle of the night, or at the crack of dawn, or over the weekend, or during a blizzard.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be rushing it through Congress on Christmas Eve — the first time this body has had a vote the day before Christmas in more than a century.

This debate was supposed to produce a bill that reformed health care in America.

Instead, we're left with party line votes in the middle of the night, a couple of sweetheart deals to get it over the finish line, and a public that’s outraged.

A problem they were told would be fixed wasn't.

I guarantee you the people who voted for this bill are going to get an earful when they finally get home for the first time since Thanksgiving.

They know there is widespread opposition to this monstrosity.

This fight isn't over. My colleagues and I will work to stop this bill from becoming law.

That's the clear will of the American people — and we're going to continue to fight on their behalf.

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