without insurance, madeline waits and hopes that she doesn't get sick. because that's the only option she has. for these rhode islanders and millions more americans silently suffering all over the country, we must now be a voice. we must improve the quality of our health care. develop our health information infrastructure. and invest in preventing disease. we must protect existing coverage when it is good. and improve it when it is not. and the president has said, if you like your health care plan, you can keep it. we must dial down the paperwork wars. and dial up the information to consumers. and we must speak for the 46 million americans, 9 million of whom are children, who have no health insurance at all. for the rhode islanders lining up today at the rhode island free clinic to draw straws, in this great country of ours, to draw straws to see which ones will be able to see a doctor. some have challenged the number of 47 million. there's a report from families usa that points out that 47 million is the number of americans who at any minute are without