[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1500
                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I would like to ask my friends on the other 
side of the aisle some questions: Why do you want to let health 
insurance companies deny people because of preexisting conditions? Why 
do you want people to lose their coverage if they lose their jobs? Why 
do you want to let insurance companies drop people when they get sick?
  There is a simple choice. Either you want to stand up for the 
American people or you want to stand up for insurance companies. It has 
been clear over the last year that my friends on the other side of the 
aisle would rather stand up for health insurance companies. They would 
rather let insurance companies raise their rates by 25 percent like 
they did in my State of New Mexico. They would rather let families' 
premiums double by 2020, increasing from $12,100 to $25,600. They would 
rather let employer premiums increase by 98 percent by 2020.
  This reform bill isn't perfect, but it stops insurance companies from 
denying people for preexisting conditions, it provides more choice, it 
lowers costs, it stops insurance companies from dropping people who are 
sick, it helps small businesses by giving them tax credits, and it 
helps seniors by making prescription drugs more affordable.
  It's time to act. It's time to reform.

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