[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19552]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS ON HEALTH CARE

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, CBO projects that the public plan option 
would likely attract around 10 million patients. That certainly puts to 
rest the assertion that private insurance would go out of business.
  Not surprisingly, the estimates that opponents of the public plan are 
citing to prove their mistaken point were arrived at by the Lewin 
Group. Guess who owns the Lewin Group? An insurance company.
  I urge my colleagues to stop repeating the false message of the 
health insurance industry. The insurance industry opposes a public 
option because they know it would force them to be honest, to keep 
their premiums down for patients.
  I urge my colleagues to pay attention to the facts, not the rhetoric, 
and I urge you to join me in reiterating our strong commitment to true 
health reform. Let's pass a bill with a strong public option before we 
adjourn.
  We were elected to make tough decisions and take important votes. We 
must fulfill this obligation.

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