[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H2332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              OPPOSING AMERICANS LOSING THEIR HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. CRIST asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CRIST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to 24 million 
Americans losing their health insurance, including 60,000 residents in 
my home of Pinellas County, Florida. Florida is the number one State 
with Affordable Care Act enrollments--number one. We stand to lose the 
most with this repeal.
  But what we are debating this week is far worse than just a repeal. 
It is how the new bill treats the least among us. Medicaid, which the 
poor and disabled depend on, would be devastated, leaving an estimated 
3.5 million children and 720,000 disabled Americans without care.
  There are a lot of people here today in the Nation's Capital in 
wheelchairs, trying to make this point to all of us. What could be more 
cruel than taking away health care for all of them?
  This is a misguided proposal. We must work together to improve health 
care, bring down costs, expand access, and protect the most vulnerable 
in our society.
  Mr. Speaker, people's lives are on the line with this vote tomorrow. 
Let's do the right thing. Reject this bill.

                          ____________________