[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E457-E458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. RANDY NEUGEBAUER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Sunday, March 21, 2010

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my opposition to 
this government takeover of health care. I believe improvements could 
be made to the existing health care system, but this government 
takeover of one-sixth of the economy is not the right answer. It will 
not lower the cost of health care, but will add layers of bureaucracy 
and confusion to the existing system.
  I am not alone in opposing this flawed, irresponsible bill. In the 
past week, more than a thousand constituents from the 19th District of 
Texas have emailed and called me to express their opposition, and 
thousands more have contacted me in opposition since this debate began 
last year.
  My constituents don't understand why the House leadership insists on 
going down the road of trying to enact a government takeover of health 
care that our nation can't afford and that will not improve their 
health care. They don't understand why leaders in Congress refuse to 
listen to the American people. They do not support this expansion of 
government; they do not support their tax dollars funding coverage for 
abortion; and they do not want us to approve this legislation.
  We must ask ourselves whether this legislation advances the principle 
of empowerment or expands entitlement. I strongly believe government 
should empower individuals to be successful in the economy, rather than 
enact policies that make them more dependent on the federal government. 
Our Founders believed in empowerment, but this legislation shows how 
far this Congress has strayed from this principle.
  This legislation clearly expands entitlement and blatantly fails to 
empower Americans. The policies being proposed today will create more 
uncertainty for employers trying to create new jobs, increase costs for 
families and create new unfunded liabilities for the federal 
government. We cannot continue down this path of entitlement; it simply 
does not work.
  This bill increases government spending by $1.2 trillion and 
increases taxes by $569 billion. It also includes unfunded mandates 
that states cannot afford in the form of Medicaid expansions.

[[Page E458]]

  Rather than lowering health care premiums for families by up to 
$2,500, as the Republican plan would do, this bill does nothing to help 
contain rising health care costs--the chief health care concern of most 
Americans. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office reports that the 
reconciliation bill will have a similar effect on premiums as the 
Senate bill, which is to increase insurance premiums for families by 
$2,100 per year compared to passing no bill at all. Up to 9 million 
Americans who currently have health insurance coverage from their 
employer could lose it under this bill.
  I am deeply disappointed that this legislation fails to provide 
robust protection for the unborn and for taxpayers who oppose their 
dollars going toward abortion.
  Over the next 10 years, this legislation will increase the federal 
government's commitment to health care by $400 billion. At a time when 
the federal deficit is $1.5 trillion and the national debt is projected 
to triple by 2020, it is completely irresponsible for Congress to add 
more unsustainable government spending to the tab that our children and 
grandchildren will have to pick up.
  We can make health care more affordable, available and accessible for 
everyone without nationalizing the system, raising taxes and piling on 
the debt. We need to sit down, in a bi-partisan way, and work on real 
reform that will help American families. That is what the American 
people want and what they deserve.
  On behalf of the 19th Congressional District, I stand in strong 
opposition to this legislation. This Congress must do better; the 
American people demand that we do better. We must reject this bill.

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