[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 192 (Thursday, December 17, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S13344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PASSAGE OF CRITICAL LEGISLATION

  Mr. REID. Madam President, we are going to finish this health care 
bill before we leave for the holidays.
  For nearly an entire year, we have reached out to the other side, 
offered Republicans a seat at the table, tried to negotiate in good 
faith--nearly a whole year. Now we are closer than ever to fixing a 
badly broken system and doing more to make sure every American can 
afford to live a healthier life than this country has done in decades.
  The Republicans have made their point. Through obstruction manuals, 
admissions that they believe stalling is good for electoral politics, 
and gambits like the one we saw yesterday; that is, forcing the full, 
hours-long reading of an amendment they did not like, and then 
complaining when that amendment they did not like was withdrawn, they 
have made their point to the American people. They have made it 
perfectly clear they have no interest in cooperating or legislating.
  But the families and businesses who are suffering, hurting, and dying 
every single day have no time for these kinds of games. That is why we 
are going to finish health care whether the other side cooperates or 
not.
  But health care is not the only critical issue this body faces. It is 
not the only critical issue to this country or before this body. Right 
now we have to complete a bill that supports the fighting men and women 
of this country, whether they are in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Japan--
all those many bases where tens of thousands of people are stationed. 
It is as simple as that.
  Here are some of the good things in the bill that is now before the 
Senate, the message from the House. It funds more than $100 billion for 
operations, maintenance, and military personnel requirements for the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Part of that money will also support 
preparations to continue withdrawal from Iraq. There is more than $23 
billion for the equipment used by our servicemembers in Iraq and 
Afghanistan to do their jobs and stay safe. There is more than $150 
billion to train our troops and prepare them for battle. There is more 
than $30 billion for the health care of our servicemembers, their 
families, and their children. It also gives our brave and valiant 
troops a pay raise of 3.4 percent this year.
  This is not a partisan issue. Yesterday, this bill passed the House 
395 to 34. More than 90 percent of Democrats voted for this bill. More 
than 90 percent of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted 
for this bill. That is because they know to our fighting men and 
women--these brave Americans half a world away, a lot of them--who wage 
two wars on our behalf, it is immaterial whether the leaders who will 
give them all the resources they need to succeed are progressives or 
conservatives. Surely, our troops who are on deployment after 
deployment after deployment spend more time counting the days until 
they can see their loved ones again than they do counting the political 
points scored by either side. They do not care most of the time, Madam 
President. They just do their jobs.
  The House proved as much yesterday. The Senate should do the same 
today. We received this bill yesterday at 2 p.m. Are we going to wait 
until tomorrow to pass it? This simply is not right. Let's give our 
troops what they need to succeed, and do it now. Then let's get back to 
giving all Americans what they need to stay healthy.
  These two bills--these two pieces of legislation--are about life and 
death. Our responsibility is too great to waste time playing political 
games.

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