[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 10, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1225-H1226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         LET'S PASS HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, President Obama spoke about health 
care. He said, If not now, when? And if not us, who? President Obama 
was correct. He knew that the duty and the obligations of this House 
are to pass momentous legislation to help the American people. It's 
engraved above the Speaker's rostrum in words from Daniel Webster, Let 
us gather all resources and do something worthwhile and momentous and 
great while we are here with the resources of this country, something 
to be remembered.
  Health care has been on the American agenda for 100 years, starting 
with Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. It went through Harry Truman, through 
Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and today Barack Obama. We are here to 
fulfill Ted Kennedy's dream and the work of many Congresses and the 
American people.
  I have had several constituents come to me and tell me of serious, 
serious illnesses they've had, that they would have gone broke if they 
didn't have insurance. And if they didn't have insurance and their 
cancer surgeries weren't covered, we would pay for it in the tax we pay 
that we don't know about of $1,000 per person for uncompensated care.
  Let's do something worthwhile. Let's pass health care.

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