[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19555-19556]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             IT IS TIME TO ACT NOW FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, we come here today and we continue to hear

[[Page 19556]]

this important debate as it surrounds health care. Well, I hope that 
there is not any disagreement that the health care system we have today 
is broken.
  We continue to hear from our friends on the other side of the aisle 
that we need to contain costs, that we need to extend coverage, that we 
need to be looking after people. Well, we have a plan, Mr. Speaker. We 
have a plan on this side of the aisle with our Democrats that has come 
forward that will say to insurance companies, No more taking away 
health care from those that are sick--that can happen today. No more 
keeping insurance from those that are sick today because they have 
something called a preexisting condition.
  As I travel across the district, across the great State of New 
Mexico, and we get to hear from people, you look them in the eye and 
they tell you they're sick, they tell you that they can't afford their 
health coverage, they tell you that they lost their job. And where do 
they go today? What about their kids?
  Well, it is time that we look those people in the eye, those people 
that have entrusted us to do a good job on their behalf, and tell them 
that we're here to act for them, that we are going to fight for that 
public option, we are going to fight to give them choice. We are going 
to help keep those health care costs down. It is time to act now for 
the American people.

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