Protests delayed the start of this morning's Senate Finance Committee hearing on health care reform, as one protester after another stood to object to the 15-person witness list, which they said included no advocate for universal health care.

Just as Chairman Max Baucus began the round-table discussion, a man stood in the packed room and shouted, "Fifteen seats at the table and not one for single payer?"

The man continued to yell as police removed him from the room.

No sooner had the man left than another protester stood to shout, "22,000 people a year are dying because they aren't covered- put single payer on the table!"

Baucus rapped his gavel to ask for order in the chamber, but since no police officer was available to remove the shouting woman, Baucus joked, "We need more police." Police then removed the woman as she added, "I approved this message!"

A third protester stood to speak to Baucus, "With respect Mr. Chairman, we need to have single payer at the table. People in the park and people on Park Avenue need to have the same health care."

Baucus urged others planning to interrupt the hearing not to do so. "We deeply respect the views of all members of the audience, especially those who fervently believe in single payer health care. It's a view I respect." He added, "We will be holding your views in mind as we proceed."

The Finance Committee is leading the Senate's health care reform agenda. The witnesses at the hearing, which was billed as "A Roundtable Discussion on Expanding Health Care Coverage," included representatives from think tanks, business groups, labor unions, insurance companies and health care providers.

The protesters were from Physicians for a National Health Program, Health Care Now, and Single Payer Action, all of whom support a single-payer, universal health care coverage.

President Obama has not advocated for single payer coverage, but did include a single-payer advocate at his own health care roundtable in March.

Get the new
PD toolbar!


Follow PoliticsDaily On Facebook and Twitter,
and download the new Politics Daily toolbar!