[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19570]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1515
                             WE CANNOT WAIT

  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, at least 46 million Americans are 
uninsured. By the end of the day, 14,000 more Americans will lose their 
coverage. Over the past decade, health care costs have risen on average 
four times faster than workers' earnings. We cannot wait. We must act 
now with reform that guarantees that everyone has access to high 
quality care, regardless of income, employment or preexisting 
conditions. We also must bring down the cost of care to make health 
insurance affordable for everyone.
  That's why we must pass a bill with a robust public plan, a plan 
without a trigger. A robust public plan will increase competition. It 
will bring down costs. The public plan must be tied to the current 
Medicare provider network infrastructure and rates so that it will be 
able to start immediately. This connection will also increase the 
savings provided by a public plan. We must pass a health bill with a 
robust public plan, and we must pass it now. The American people cannot 
go any longer without high quality, affordable coverage.

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