[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18487]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HEALTH CARE BILL COSTS AMERICAN JOBS

  (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, where are the jobs? 
Americans have lost millions of jobs in the last 6 months. The 
unemployment rate today is approaching 10 percent nationwide. And amid 
all of this, Democrats are proposing a government takeover of health 
care that would increase taxes, eliminate choices, cut Medicare, force 
Americans out of their current plans and place billion-dollar job-
killing fines and mandates on small businesses, the job creators.
  Studies estimate that nearly 5 million jobs will be lost as a result 
of taxes on small business under this Democrat plan.
  There is a better solution, Mr. Speaker. Rather than penalizing 
struggling small businesses, Congress must make it easier for them to 
afford health benefits. We must increase choices, make health costs 
deductible, expand health savings accounts, end waste, fraud and abuse 
and control unnecessary lawsuits that drive up costs for everyone.
  I support reform, Mr. Speaker, that lets Americans keep their 
doctors, lowers costs and keeps medical decisions between the patient 
and their doctor.

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