[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15338]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE DEBATE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we began this year dedicated to delivering 
the change the American people demanded in November. We began this 
Congress committed to making life better for the middle class, for 
hard-working families who play by the rules. But the American people 
also demanded something more. They said that we, their leaders, should 
not be unwilling to work together. The challenges we face have left no 
one unscathed. We are all in this hole together, and the only way we 
climb out of this hole is by doing so together.
  When the American people spoke last year, they gave us, above all, a 
mandate for bipartisanship. It was in that spirit that I wrote my 
Republican colleagues this spring. In that letter, I said one of the 
best ways to lift our economy is to keep down health care costs. Almost 
50 million Americans have no health care, and the problem grows worse 
every day.
  Every day, more Americans go bankrupt or lose their homes just trying 
to stay healthy. Even those fortunate enough to have insurance pay a 
hidden tax for those who do not. What does that mean? It means 50 
million people, when they get sick or hurt, go to the nearest emergency 
room. That emergency room may be across the street or 50 miles from 
where they are, but that is where they go. That increases the cost of 
every one of our health insurance policies, it increases the cost of 
the doctor bills we get, the hospital bills we get, and indigent taxes. 
If your family has health care, you pay at least $1,000 more than you 
would if all other families had health care.
  In that letter, I expressed my sincere hope that Republicans would 
work with us to respond to this emergency. I extended my hand. I asked 
for their help. Although I knew we would disagree at times, I told them 
I looked forward to an open and honest dialog about how to help 
struggling Americans.
  In this letter, I especially asked Republican colleagues to focus on 
the concrete and critical crisis that affects children, families, and 
small businesses every day--a parent cannot take a child to a doctor 
because insurance does not exist or is prohibitively expensive; a 
family lives one accident or illness away from financial ruin; small 
businesses lay off employees because they cannot afford skyrocketing 
health care premiums. We hear those stories every time we go home.
  I asked in that letter that we use the short and valuable time we 
have to work together in our common interest rather than against each 
other and against the interests of the American people. I wish I could 
say Republicans answered those words with deeds of equal good faith. 
But how have they responded regarding health care? Have they taken the 
hand we have extended across the aisle? No. Have they taken the seat we 
offered at the negotiating table? No. Have they engaged in a productive 
debate about real people and real problems that relate to health care? 
No. Have they shown they are just as interested as we are in working 
with each other rather than against each other? No. Have they told us a 
single thing they are for rather than what they are against? No; it is 
always what they are against. In fact, ``no'' is all we hear from the 
Republicans these days. Instead of debating facts, Republicans have 
committed themselves to a strategy of misinformation and 
misrepresentation.
  We have different priorities. We are committed to lowering the high 
cost of health care, ensuring every American has access to that 
quality, affordable care and letting people choose their own doctors, 
hospitals, and health plans. We are committed to protecting existing 
coverage when it is good and improving it when it is not and 
guaranteeing health care for millions, including 9 million children who 
have none.
  I don't believe doing nothing is an option because the costs of doing 
nothing are too great. We must pass health care reform this year. As we 
said at the start of this year, at the start of this work period, at 
the start of this debate, we will continue doing our best to work with 
Republicans and pass a bipartisan bill.
  In spite of the past, I remain optimistic that both Republicans and 
Democrats recognize how urgent this health care debate is. The health 
of our citizens and our economy is at stake, and neither will be able 
to recover if we wait. But as important as bipartisanship is--and it is 
important--it is not as critical as helping the nearly 50 million 
Americans who have nowhere to turn, the other 20 million who have bad 
insurance, and the rest of America, which is paying at least $1,000 
more for their insurance policy as a result of people having no 
insurance.
  As I said in my letter this April, in order for this bipartisan 
process to take root, Republicans must demonstrate a sincere interest 
in legislating. I hope they do so because one way or another, we are 
going to get health care reform done.
  Thank you, Mr. President.

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