On January 25, 1971 my uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, took to the Senate floor to argue for a national health insurance program--or single-payer system.

It was the first legislative day of the 92nd Congress. Democrats had the majority. Richard Nixon was president. And our country's health care system was, as my uncle put it:

"The fastest-growing failing business in the nation -- a $70 billion industry that fails to meet the urgent needs of our people."

Our people were paying more than any other developed nation for worse care, he said. They were getting sicker, dying younger--and spending an extraordinary amount of money on a system that wasn't taking care of them.

Sound familiar? Take a look:

In 1971, the United States ranked seventh in maternal mortality rates. Now, we're number 46.

In 1971, we had the 13th lowest infant mortality rate in the world. Now, we're 35th.

Then: people of color in the U.S. were about five times more likely to die in childbirth than white folks. That hasn't changed.

Then: health care spending at $70 billion was more than 7 percent of our gross domestic product. Now? $3.5 trillion and about 18 percent.

Nearly fifty years later and the injustice, inequity and inadequacy of our health care system has only grown. Fifty years later, and we're no better than where we were in 1971. We're worse.

That's not acceptable. Have we made strides? Yes. The Affordable Care Act was an enormous leap forward. But we need more. We need to rethink and rebuild the entire system. We need the kind of universal, public insurance coverage that my uncle knew was the answer, all the way back in 1971.

We need Medicare for All.

Yesterday the House Committee on Energy & Commerce finally held hearings on the path towards universal coverage.I was proud to speak in support of Medicare for All, which I believe is the best option on the table for the kind of bold, comprehensive and sustainable reform our system needs.

Health care was the fight of my uncle's life. He knew reform would never be quick and rarely linear. Over the years, he compromised, he analyzed and debated, collaborated, convinced and cajoled -- he fought like hell.

We carry on that fight today. For a system that is there for all in our moments of deepest need. For a country that sees the value in every single human life. For a future where each of us can do the one thing that matters most of all: take care of the people we love.

Proud to fight at your side,

Joe

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Paid for by Kennedy for Massachusetts.