[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H12-H13]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AMERICA MUST ANSWER THE CALL

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Happy New Year to America. As 
we start this new year, I believe it is important to clarify a lot of 
misinterpretations about what the job of the Federal Government is and 
what this Congress' responsibility is.
  We are problem-solvers. We work to solve the issues on behalf of the 
American people. And as we look at this health care debate, which I 
hope will be entirely transparent, let the underlying premise be that 
36 million people are without insurance.
  In addition, this health care bill will generate numerous numbers of 
jobs and new health professional scholarships to provide for doctors 
and nurses, making sure that you do not have a denial of insurance 
because of preexisting disease.
  And jobs we must make. We must move forward on the jobs bill, and I 
am in particular pushing one that says if you are on unemployment 
insurance, you can continue to get training. Scholarships and a stipend 
will be given to you along with your unemployment insurance so you can 
train for the new jobs.

[[Page H13]]

  We have to be innovative and know what the American people want; but, 
most of all, the government of the United States is a problem-solver. 
The people of America are hurting, and we must address the questions of 
health care and the underutilized ability for Americans to be served by 
new health care as well as new jobs. America must answer the call.

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