[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19568]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1500
              PUBLIC OPTION WILL ERADICATE PRIVATE SECTOR

  (Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I am sad that the Democratic 
majority is trying to rush this bill through before we've had a chance 
to go home to our districts to listen to our constituents, to share 
ideas with them, to get their views on this, one of the most important 
issues we will ever decide here in Congress.
  One of the things that is being said really puzzles me. The President 
is saying, for the public plan, you have to have it to keep the private 
sector honest, to bring more competition. If that's the case, Mr. 
Speaker, then why don't we have government grocery stores to keep 
grocers honest? Why don't we have government contractors for car 
mechanics to keep car mechanics honest? Why don't we have government 
steel companies to keep steel companies honest? Why don't we have 
government car companies--oh, excuse me, that's the wrong example.
  The point is, Mr. Speaker, the public option is not here to keep the 
private sector honest. The public option is here to make the private 
sector go away. That is the purpose of this bill, and the American 
people should see it. And we, in August, ought to be given the 
opportunity to talk to them about it.

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