[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14359]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

  (Mr. HIMES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HIMES. Mr. Speaker, it has become amply clear to all Americans, 
North, South, Republican, Democrat, rich, poor, that our health care 
system is not just a moral embarrassment to the greatest country on 
Earth, but a severe economic liability.
  Our auto companies and our corporations stagger under cost increases. 
Our small businesses choose between covering their employees or taking 
a step towards insolvency. And of course, health care costs are the 
leading cause of bankruptcy for American families.
  We cannot fix this economy without reforming our health care system. 
We cannot be fiscally responsible without addressing the stunning 
economic liabilities that we have associated with Medicare and other 
promises we have made.
  The reforms that we are offering will offer a real choice of plans to 
small businesses in America. It will provide tax credits to small 
businesses, and it will end the practice of insurance companies denying 
coverage to Americans who need it. Most importantly, it will emphasize 
prevention, wellness, and patient-centered care.
  The bottom line, reforming health care to contain rising costs is the 
most effective action we can take to return our Nation's budget to 
balance and make our workers the most competitive in the world.

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