[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 187 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WEALTHCARE ABOVE HEALTHCARE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Al Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I always acknowledge the 
preeminent privilege to stand in the well of the Congress of the United 
States of America. It is a unique opportunity accorded few in a country 
of millions. So I am honored to stand here, Mr. Speaker.
  I love my country, but I must say, Mr. Speaker, I stand here with 
profound disbelief--profound disbelief--because I cannot believe, Mr. 
Speaker, that the Senate of the United States of America is considering 
removing 13 million people from insurance in a tax bill.
  The Senate is proposing in a tax bill--that can't solve all of our 
problems, by the way--that 13 million people lose healthcare--13 
million people without a primary care physician.
  Perhaps not all, but it is fair to assume that millions will not have 
a primary care physician. Millions will no longer get the preventive 
care that can save dollars as well as lives. Millions will find 
themselves in emergency rooms receiving primary care.
  I cannot believe that the Senate of the United States of America, in 
a tax bill, would remove 13 million people from the insurance rolls 
and, in so doing, acquire $338 billion. The $338 billion is not going 
to deficit reduction. The $338 billion will go to line the pockets of 
people who can afford the best healthcare that the world can provide.
  It is hard to believe that, in the richest country in the world, Mr. 
Speaker, we are about to move from healthcare to sickness care. 
Healthcare provides preventive care. Sickness care, Mr. Speaker, means 
that you show up at an emergency room.
  By the way, that $338 billion that is claimed as a savings--we will 
spend more than that on emergency room services for the 13 million--or 
the millions, whatever that number may happen to be--who are going to 
emergency rooms. We will spend it. People are going to get care. They 
won't get the best care.
  We have, in the richest country in the world, concluded that we can 
take healthcare from those who dearly need it and provide wealthcare 
for those who already have it. Why would we put wealthcare above 
healthcare in the richest country in the world? I cannot believe that 
this is happening in the United States of America.
  By the way, Mr. Speaker, you and I know that if the Senate can do 
this, then the House will follow suit. The House will pick up that 
language, some variation of it, if not the exact language. We will find 
that, in the House, we will be voting to eliminate insurance for 13 
million people.
  Mr. Speaker, our country is better than this. Our country is a 
country that cares for every person where, yes, we will care for the 
well-off, the well-heeled, and the well-to-do. Yes. But we also care 
for the least, the last, and the lost. In this country, we care about 
people, and we want every person to have the best healthcare.
  So I suffer from disbelief. I am thunderstruck. I cannot imagine the 
Senate removing 13 million people from healthcare to provide wealthcare 
for a few.

                          ____________________