[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 126 (Wednesday, September 9, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H9348-H9349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I, like other Members of Congress, went home 
and had a townhall meeting on health care and met with many doctors. 
What I found is that the American public knows that the system is 
broken and that we need to change. The difficulty I have got in my 
district is I'm for a public option. But I'm not drawing a line in the 
sand to say I won't vote for a bill that improves the health care 
system, that takes care of the problem concerning preexisting 
conditions, that gives more wellness and preventative programs and that 
sees that we have more family doctors and health centers.
  For that, the liberals in my district, and I'm a liberal, are upset 
with me because I haven't said I won't vote for a bill that doesn't 
have a public option. On the other hand, there are people that are 
against health care at all, and if I vote for anything, they will be 
upset.
  Tonight the President of the United States will address the Nation. I 
plan

[[Page H9349]]

to listen, and I plan to support the President of the United States in 
providing health care and making the greatest reforms in welfare moves 
for the people of our Nation and improvement in health care since 1965 
when Medicaid and Medicare were passed. Those were great days for 
America.

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