[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 18, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H232-H233]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to 
repealing health care reform. I am committed to working with my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle to create jobs and improve 
our Nation's economy. We need to focus on jobs right now, not repealing 
health care reform.

[[Page H233]]

  In fact, last year the private sector created some 1.1 million jobs. 
That is more private-sector job growth created in 2010 alone than 
during all of the Bush administration. Fully 200,000 of those jobs, or 
one out of every five, were in the health care industry.
  In the Capital Region alone, repeal would strip benefits from some 
439,000 individuals with health insurance and 113,000 seniors on 
Medicare. My constituents would lose guaranteed coverage for their 
preexisting conditions, coverage for young adults, lower drug prices 
for seniors, and free preventive care for people with insurance 
coverage and Medicare.
  Madam Speaker, repealing health care reform to return to the old 
status quo, where insurance companies run amok and put profits over 
people, is irresponsible and reckless for our Nation and our economy.

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