[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 18481-18482]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HEALTH CARE REFORM A PRESCRIPTION FOR DISASTER

  (Mrs. MILLER of Michigan asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, when the economic stimulus plan 
was passed earlier this year, the American people were told that we had 
to act immediately because of our economic crisis. We were also told 
that that plan would create or save 3 million jobs and that the 
unemployment rate would not rise above 8 percent, and that we had to 
act so fast that actually not one Member of this House or the American 
people had a chance to read the bill.
  And what has actually happened since that time?
  Well, the economy hasn't gained 3 million jobs. It's actually lost 3 
million jobs. Where are the jobs?
  Unemployment is almost 10 percent. In my home State of Michigan, it 
is 15.2 percent today, and $787 billion has been added to our national 
debt and we have an annual deficit approaching $2 trillion.
  Mr. Speaker, now we're being told that we need to pass health care 
reform immediately because we're in a crisis. We're told that it will 
be deficit neutral because it includes massive new taxes on individuals 
and small businesses. But CBO says that it will actually increase the 
deficit, Mr. Speaker, while others say that it will force millions of 
Americans out of their private health insurance.

[[Page 18482]]

  We do need to reform our health care system, but doing it in such a 
panic mode is a recipe for disaster.

                          ____________________