[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 2 (Monday, January 5, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3-S4]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HEALTHCARE

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, Happy New Year. Congress has a full 
plate of issues to work on this year. I look forward to rolling up my 
sleeves and continuing my work for the people of Iowa this year, as I 
always do.
  One issue that is on my mind is lowering healthcare costs, expanding 
access to high-quality care, and supporting research and innovation. 
The U.S. healthcare needs more reform and accountability, but we don't 
need to turn it into a socialized, government-run healthcare system.
  I would like to point out another example, as I have before, of how 
socialized medicine fails patients. Recently, a Canadian woman named 
Jolene Van Alstine made headlines because of Canada's socialized 
single-payer healthcare system.
  Jolene can't access a healthcare specialist to get the lifesaving 
surgery that she needs. Jolene has a rare disease, and she needs 
surgery. Yet there is not a surgeon available in her province to 
perform that surgery. You would think she would look elsewhere in 
Canada to get the surgery, but she can't do that. Jolene must get 
permission from a local specialist first due to government rules 
running the socialized healthcare system in Canada.
  Yet getting an appointment with a specialist isn't possible because 
no one is accepting new patients. Now she is considering ``medical 
assistance in dying'' because Canada's healthcare system doesn't have a 
surgeon or a specialist that she needs to get that lifesaving care.
  American conservative radio commentator Glenn Beck has offered to 
cover the patient's travel expenses to America if an American surgeon 
is able to perform the surgery. I sure hope

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someone will step up to help Jolene in this way.
  So Canada does, however, have an alternative healthcare system. It is 
called the United States of America, if the patient can afford to come 
here and pay for the services. I have highlighted before how Canadians' 
cancer patients are coming to America for treatment. Socialized 
medicine leads to longer wait times and scarce resources. Let this be 
another reminder of socialized medicine's failures.
  I yield the floor.

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