September 30, 2009 4:41 PM
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Alan Grayson Apologizes to the Dead, not Republicans
Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson generated conservative anger with a speech last night in which he said, in regard to the GOP health care plan, "Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick." (Watch it at left.)
The comment prompted calls for Grayson to apologize from Republicans and the threat of the introduction of a resolution of disapproval on the House floor similar to the resolution censuring Republican Rep. Joe Wilson for his "you lie!" outburst at President Obama.
Now Grayson has apologized – though it's probably not going to placate his critics. On the House floor this afternoon, the confrontational Florida representative said he wanted to apologize because according to a Harvard study, more than 44,000 Americans die every year because they lack health insurance.
"That is ten times more than the number of Americans who have died in Iraq and who died in 9/11," he continued. "But that was just once. This is every single year. That's right. Every single year."
"I call upon the Democratic members of the House, I call upon the Republican members of the House, I call upon all of us to do our jobs for the sake of America, for the sake of those dying people and their families," he went on to say. "I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven't voted sooner to end this holocaust in America."
Alan Grayson "Die Quickly" Comment Prompts Uproar
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
The comment prompted calls for Grayson to apologize from Republicans and the threat of the introduction of a resolution of disapproval on the House floor similar to the resolution censuring Republican Rep. Joe Wilson for his "you lie!" outburst at President Obama.
Now Grayson has apologized – though it's probably not going to placate his critics. On the House floor this afternoon, the confrontational Florida representative said he wanted to apologize because according to a Harvard study, more than 44,000 Americans die every year because they lack health insurance.
"That is ten times more than the number of Americans who have died in Iraq and who died in 9/11," he continued. "But that was just once. This is every single year. That's right. Every single year."
"I call upon the Democratic members of the House, I call upon the Republican members of the House, I call upon all of us to do our jobs for the sake of America, for the sake of those dying people and their families," he went on to say. "I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven't voted sooner to end this holocaust in America."
Alan Grayson "Die Quickly" Comment Prompts Uproar
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
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Brian Montopoli Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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