[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 8 (Thursday, January 20, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E86-E87]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             REPEALING THE JOB-KILLING HEALTH CARE LAW ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 19, 2011

  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in opposition to 
H.R. 2, a bill that would repeal the Healthcare Law.
  In the United States, one of the richest countries in the world, 
nearly 50 million Americans lack health insurance, 13.5 percent of 
which are New Yorkers. Last year alone, New York City's hospitals spent 
1.2 billion dollars in charity costs. Tragically, people who are either 
uninsured or underinsured often have to go without vital healthcare 
simply because they cannot afford it.
  Every American has a human right to adequate physical and mental 
healthcare, and I believe that government has a responsibility to 
assist its citizens in securing quality healthcare.
  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which passed in the 
111th Congress, does just that. It insures that Americans have access 
to quality healthcare. Repealing it would mean:
  Insurance companies will once again be able to drop coverage for 
people when they get sick--exactly when coverage is needed most;
  Children with pre-existing conditions will be denied coverage;
  Insurance companies would again be able to impose devastating annual 
and lifetime caps;
  Young people will no longer be able to stay on their parents' plans 
until age 26;
  Pregnant women would be denied coverage simply because they are 
pregnant since pregnancy is considered a ``pre-existing condition'' and 
therefore a basis for denial of coverage;
  And finally, seniors will face an increase in their prescription drug 
costs because they

[[Page E87]]

would be thrown back into the Medicare Part D Donut Hole, which the 
healthcare reform law would have closed by 2020.
  Let me share with you a letter that I received from one of my 
constituents in the 11th Congressional District of New York. Jonathan 
writes:
  ``I am a two-time cancer survivor, constantly worrying about being 
denied coverage because of my pre-existing condition. I'm not 
comfortable that corporations under the old rules would consider me 
``unprofitable''. I think it's a disgrace that this problem has existed 
in our country. I, for one, will move to Canada or elsewhere if 
Healthcare Reform is repealed and I ever have a reoccurrence of my 
cancer. Meanwhile, I think it's every American's responsibility to not 
allow other people with pre-existing conditions to be denied coverage. 
``
  As Jonathan notes, this repeal would once again allow big insurance 
companies, who are only focused on profitability, to deny coverage to 
him and so many others with pre-existing conditions.
  Are we going to allow Jonathan to be punished and denied coverage 
simply for being a cancer survivor? Repeal of this healthcare law would 
punish so many.
  Healthcare is a fundamental human right, rather than a commodity, 
which is why I stand in strong opposition to repeal.

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