[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 145 (Thursday, October 8, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H11114-H11115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                THE NEED FOR A HEALTH CARE PUBLIC OPTION

  (Mr. SARBANES asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to congratulate the American 
people on how savvy and smart they

[[Page H11115]]

are when it comes to this health care reform effort. A survey was done 
recently, and the question was asked, Do you support an individual 
mandate, which is the requirement that people purchase insurance 
coverage? In answer to that, there was some ambivalence. People weren't 
so sure. Then they asked the question this way, they said, What if we 
give you a public option, would you support an individual mandate? And 
a clear majority said, Absolutely, we would.
  Now let's think about that for a minute. What they were saying was, 
Don't force us to go purchase insurance coverage if we have to buy it 
from the same old cast of characters that's been jerking us around for 
decades. But if you give us a real option, then it absolutely makes 
common sense to require that.
  So once again Americans have demonstrated they understand this 
problem. They understand why we need to have a public option in the 
mix, and that's what we're going to push forward with in this 
legislation.

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