[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 40 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, thousands of my constituents have shared 
their health care stories with me about America's broken health care 
system, like Christopher from St. Louis. He said, I stayed in a job 
that I hated for 5 years just for the insurance. Or like Stacy, also 
from St. Louis. Her grandmother died without preventive coverage 2 
years ago, she said, leaving her grandfather broke due to medical debt 
and her family wondering why her medical problems couldn't have been 
detected sooner. She wrote, Please vote for health care reform for my 
grandmother.
  Well, Stacy and the thousands of others that I represent, I want to 
tell you I will. The American people have had it with the partisan 
bickering here, and so have I. The folks who want to play partisan 
political games with your health care need to get out of the way. The 
insurance companies have made record profits during this economic 
recession and are sticking us with higher premiums all across the 
country.
  Enough with the obstruction and the delay. This bill has already 
passed the House. A bill has already passed the Senate with a 
supermajority. It's time for every Member of this Congress to stand up 
and be counted, to have a final up-or-down vote. It's time to stand up 
for millions of Americans. I know where I stand. It's time for an up-
or-down vote on health care now.

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