On January 16, President George W. Bush renewed his call for Congress to pass medical liability reform legislation. Speaking at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the President said that the high cost of medical liability insurance "is a national problem that needs a national solution . . . We need a law coming out of the United States Congress.Ó The President called upon Congress to enact a $250,000 limit on awards for non-economic damages, provisions to allow providers to make payments over time, limits on punitive damages and on the time that can elapse before a lawsuit is brought, and other reforms. In recent years, the House of Representatives has passed legislation similar to the President's plan, but the Senate defeated the plan last year by a vote of 57-43. Given increasing awareness of a growing liability insurance crisis, it is hoped that enough senators may now reconsider their votes. GNYHA is grateful that the President has made this issue a top priority.