[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S10]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SENATOR-ELECT SCOTT BROWN

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor to congratulate my 
friend, Scott Brown, on his historic victory last night.
  Scott Brown is a man who has served his country in the Army National 
Guard and Reserve. He is a person who has served his State in the State 
legislature. He is a wonderful father and a wonderful public servant. I 
congratulate him on his landmark victory.
  I believe it was in Concord where the ``shot was heard round the 
world.'' Last night a shot was fired round this Nation. A shot was 
fired saying no more business as usual in Washington, DC. Stop this 
unsavory, sausage-making process called health care reform, where 
special favors are dispensed to special people for special reasons in 
order to purchase votes.
  The American people do not want this health care reform because they 
do not believe it attacks the fundamental problem with health care in 
America; that is, there is nothing wrong with the quality, it is the 
cost that needs to be brought under control.
  But there is also anger--I know from the townhall meetings in my own 
State--about the process: the Louisiana purchase, $300 million for 
Louisiana; the Florida Medicare Advantage grandfather clause for the 
Senator from Florida; the $5 billion cornhusker kickback; Vermont, 
Massachusetts, Hawaii, Michigan, Connecticut--twice in Connecticut--
Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming--the list goes on and on 
of special deals that were carved for special reasons. The latest, of 
course, is the incredible action concerning unions being exempt from 
taxes nonunion members will now have to pay in greater numbers. How do 
you justify favoring one group of Americans; that is, union members, 
for any reason other than you owe them political favors and they have 
political influence?
  So the negotiating went from the backrooms here to the backrooms in 
the White House--the same President who said C-SPAN and a completely 
transparent process would prevail here so the American people would 
know who is on the side of the pharmaceutical companies. And the 
pharmaceutical companies probably got the best sweetheart deal of 
anybody in this whole process.
  So I believe the majority of the American people have said and 
according to polling data 48 percent of Massachusetts voters have said 
health care was the single issue driving their vote. Thirty-nine 
percent said they voted for Brown specifically because of his vocal 
opposition to the measure. I congratulate Scott Brown. I congratulate 
our new colleague not only for standing up for what is right but also 
for articulating the frustration of the American people about this 
process we have been through.
  So here we are, and now the rumors are that they will jam this 
proposal through the House of Representatives and then bypass what has 
always been the normal legislative process. They should not do that. 
The American people have spoken. The people of Massachusetts have 
spoken for the rest of America: Stop this process, sit down in open and 
transparent negotiations, and let's begin from the beginning.
  We can agree on certain principles and certain measures that need to 
be taken, such as malpractice reform, going across State lines so 
people can have the insurance of their choice, and many other things, 
including, perhaps, a refundable tax credit for those who need health 
insurance and risk pools for those who have preexisting conditions. 
There are many things we could agree on if, for the first time in this 
administration and in this Senate, we sit down across the table from 
one another in honest and open negotiations and discussions.
  We know health care costs in America are out of control. We know they 
need to be fixed. We want to be part of that process. So I urge the 
President of the United States, I urge my colleagues--now 59 of them--
to say: Stop, start from the beginning, sit down, and work for America. 
Let's do what has been done in the past, time after time after time, 
where we sit down and negotiate in good-faith efforts. So far, that has 
not happened despite the promises the President made during his 
campaign.
  I urge my colleagues together to say we have to stop this process, we 
have to stop this unsavory sausage making, Chicago style, that has been 
going on, and we have to sit down in open and honest negotiations with 
the American people and fix the health care problem. We can do that 
together, and that is what the American people want us to do.
  Again, I thank my colleague from North Dakota, and I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from North Dakota is 
recognized.

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