[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 198 (Wednesday, December 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H10026-H10027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SOCIALIZED MEDICINE IS DEADLY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, 106--nearly half--of House 
Democrats have cosponsored the socialists' Lower Drug Costs Now Act.
  I will not mince words: Socialized medicine causes worse healthcare 
at higher costs with longer waits and more dead Americans.
  America must learn from countries that have experimented with 
socialized medicine. Per Britain's Royal College of Surgeons, almost a 
quarter of a million people must wait more than 6 months--6 months--to 
receive planned medical treatment from the National Health Service. 
Worse yet, more than 3,600 Britons wait more than 9 months for medical 
care.
  The photo next to me was taken by a British mother outraged by the 
healthcare her ill son received. As this photo shows, her son was 
treated on a hospital floor.
  Do we want newborn babies kept in cardboard boxes like they are in 
socialist Venezuela? Is that really what we want in America?
  I say no. But that is exactly what America will get if socialists 
have their way in this healthcare debate.
  Canada's socialized medicine is no better. A 2016 survey by Canada's 
Fraser Institute found a median wait of 20

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weeks, almost 5 months, for ``medically necessary'' treatments and 
procedures.
  Britain's National Health Service data reveals that almost 25 percent 
of cancer patients don't start treatment on time, despite urgent 
referrals from their primary care doctors. Britain's politicians 
whitewash this deadly statistic by claiming treatment is ``on time,'' 
if it is given within 62 days of referral--2 months of referral.
  Such long wait periods for cancer treatment can be, and are, deadly. 
For example, 81 percent of British breast cancer patients live 5 years 
after diagnosis compared to 89 percent for American breast cancer 
patients. Stated differently, 8 of every 100 breast cancer patients who 
live in America would die in Britain's socialized medicine system.
  Americans with prostate cancer have a 97 percent 5-year survival 
rate. In Britain, it drops to 83 percent. Stated differently, 14 of 
every 100 prostate cancer patients who live in America would die in 
Britain's socialized medicine system.
  It is irresponsible and dangerous for America to copy socialized 
medicine, yet that is exactly what socialist Democrats wants us to do.
  The House soon votes on a socialist drug cost plan that gives the 
government control over drug pricing while suppressing the invention of 
lifesaving drugs. For example, the Congressional Budget Office warns 
this legislation results in 15 fewer drugs in the next 10 years. That 
is 15 drugs that help Americans live longer or more comfortably, gone, 
because of socialist Democrat wishful thinking.

                              {time}  1115

  Mr. Speaker, socialized medicine is not the answer. Government price 
controls are not the answer.
  The answer is more free enterprise competition that forces healthcare 
providers and drug companies to provide their best products at their 
lowest prices or go out of business.
  I urge the American people to not fall prey to socialists who promise 
taxpayer-funded government healthcare.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against this socialist drug pricing 
scheme.
  Most importantly, I urge America to be wary of propaganda that claims 
socialized medicine lowers healthcare costs or saves lives. Socialized 
medicine does neither.
  Remember that promise that ObamaCare will cut your health insurance 
premiums by $2,500 per year? That was false propaganda.
  Remember the promise that, under ObamaCare you can keep your doctor 
and health insurance plans if you want them? That was more false 
propaganda.
  America, do your homework. Don't fall for the lies again. Demand 
solutions that both lower costs and save lives.
  Why? Because your very life is at risk.

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