WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that he intends to move forward with a health insurance reform bill that includes a public insurance option allowing states to opt out, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and a strong proponent of the pro-consumer public option, issued the following statement:

"I commend Majority Leader Harry Reid for moving forward with health reform that encourages affordability and contains a public option. This is good news for states like Rhode Island, where 80% of the market is currently controlled by just two insurance companies and working families and small businesses are being priced out of health coverage every day."