[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18040]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   GROUNDBREAKING HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we're on 
the verge of groundbreaking health care reform legislation that will 
benefit generations to come and signal to the world and all of America 
that we are no longer a Nation that tolerates 46 million uninsured and 
many millions of workers, people who work every day, uninsured and 
facing huge out-of-pocket costs.
  Now, today, I want to emphasize the importance of including a robust 
public health insurance option, with an established Medicare provider 
network, in the final health care reform bill. An established network 
will allow the public plan to give Americans a real choice among 
insurance plans and doctors from the start, from the beginning. A 
public provider network will place the public plan on a level playing 
field with private plans establishing real competition, real reform, 
and lowering costs for Americans.
  Look, we have one chance to do health care reform, and it's today. 
And we have to ensure that we establish the strongest infrastructure to 
give success for the American people and to give them coverage and care 
and lower costs.
  Further, the Congressional Budget Office says that a robust plan will 
save $91 billion for our country. We know the system is broken, and now 
we have a chance for a truly American solution to health care reform.

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