President Obama [emphasis added]:

I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process.  It will be hard.  But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and the conscience of our nation long enough.  So let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year.

Health Care for America Now's National Campaign Director, Richard Kirsch:

“President Obama made it clear that 2009 is the year we pass health care reform. We call on Congress to join with President Obama to pass a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all this year.

Over the past seven months, 188 Members of Congress have signed on with Health Care for America Now in a commitment to achieving a national solution to the health care crisis in 2009. They have signed on in support of a guarantee of quality, affordable health care we all can count on with benefits that meet our needs and the choice of keeping our private insurance or joining a new public health insurance plan.

Now we challenge the rest of Congress to join with the President, to stand up to the powerful special interests that profit handsomely off our broken system, to reject phony arguments and bogus excuses, and to support reform that puts our families' health and the health of our nation's economy before insurance and drug company profits.

We appreciate the Senate Finance Committee getting to work right away and scheduling a hearing for tomorrow morning as we continue to mobilize across the country to win quality, affordable health care for all in 2009.”

Well, folks, we're on our way.