[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. GINGREY of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the government-run health care 
plan that my Democratic colleagues are pushing will lead to health care 
rationing and, ultimately, months of wait time for patients seeking 
treatment.
  Today, I want to read a testimonial from a Canadian citizen who has 
experienced firsthand the ill effects of their government-run health 
care.
  ``When I came to the major hospital in downtown Toronto with 
appendicitis, I had to wait overnight until a doctor saw me, but they 
did not have a CAT scan machine available, so they sent me home. I had 
to return to the hospital the next day, and at that time they rated me 
`less urgent.' When I asked them why, they told me I received the less 
urgent rating `because I have not died yet.' Again, it took many hours 
before I was able to see the doctor. Then I had to wait hours for an 
operating room before I was told that only those who would otherwise 
certainly die would receive surgery. However, the vet care in Canada is 
private, so there is nothing like this when it comes to taking care of 
my dog. The doctor is always available for a dog, but not for a 
human.''
  Mr. Speaker, health reform must not preclude man nor his best friend 
from access to quality health care.

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