[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20096]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. REICHERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, when the House Ways and Means Committee 
recently considered the health care overhaul proposal, I supported an 
amendment that said if our constituents must join the government-run 
public plan, so should Members of Congress. Unfortunately, the 
Democrats rejected this amendment.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask today: If the government-run plan is great enough 
for the American people, why isn't it good enough for the Members of 
Congress?
  Americans deserve the freedom to choose their health care. This plan 
doesn't give them that choice. It will force Americans into a plan that 
supporters of the bill simply don't want.
  We need to work together to protect and to strengthen the health care 
of every American, not take away choice and drive up costs. I urge my 
colleagues to reject this bill, to work together on a plan that will 
lower costs, while maintaining the freedoms of Americans to choose 
their health care.
  And that is just some straight shooting from the sheriff.

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