U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is scheduled to speak this afternoon from the Senate floor about the need for national health care reform.

In his remarks -- expected to be aired nationally on C-SPAN 2 at around 2:45 p.m. -- Rhode Island's junior senator will share Rhode Islanders' personal struggles with the health care system.

"Hearing from people directly about how this affects their lives...is the single most powerful way we can effect change in this country," Whitehouse spokeswoman Alex Swartsel said this afternoon.

Whitehouse is expected to mention Brown medical student Lauren Goddard in today's remarks. Goddard suffers from Crohn's disease and discovered problems with the system after becoming too old to qualify for her mother's plan.

Whitehouse invited Goddard to attend President Obama's first address to Congress tomorrow night.

Rhode Islanders with stories to share are encouraged to submit them on Whitehouse's Web site.

"This is just such a compelling way to make the health care debate, which is coming, really, really hit home for people," Swartsel said.