[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. WELCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELCH. With all the controversy about the health care bill, the 
content of it, the argument about what is in it, what is not in it, 
this really does boil down to a fundamental question that this Congress 
and this country has eluded and avoided for over 70 years, and, that 
is, will we have a health care system where every American is covered 
and where every American helps pay? Will we have a health care system 
where we have a common desire and need to control costs and to reform 
the delivery system? That is one side.
  The other question is, will we have a health care system that embeds 
the status quo that for the past 70 years has served the interests of 
the insurance companies very well, increasing their profits, salaries 
to $24 million, where it is a fee-for-service, volume-driven system 
that is absolutely burying our employers and our families under a 
burden of costs that we can't keep up with? That is basically the 
question.
  Will this health care bill allow Americans to have access to health 
care or ensure profits again for the insurance company?

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