[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 21104-21105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PRESIDENT SHOULD HOST CONGRESSIONAL TOWNHALL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Congress will gladly welcome the 
President tomorrow night to speak to a joint session of Congress about 
health care. All of us here have been asked hundreds of questions by 
our constituents over the past month. The President is an innovator in 
communications. He tries new ideas and is a trend-setter when it comes 
to new ways to be in touch with the American people.
  So as the President addresses Congress on his health care ideas 
tomorrow night, why doesn't he take some health care questions from 
Members of Congress, questions that have been asked by the people we 
represent? After all, we call this the People's House, so why not 
address questions the American people have?
  The questions could be submitted before the President speaks and he 
can choose the ones he wants to address. This could be a congressional 
townhall hosted by the President.
  Here are just some of the questions I have been asked by the people 
of Texas.
  One: The health care bill seems to cost too much. How are we going to 
pay for it? This question brought much concern to the people in my 
district. The Congressional Budget Office says that the pending House 
bill will cost anywhere from billions to even $1 trillion to just 
implement.
  Tax increases are in the current plan to pay for this bill, more 
spending of what we don't have. I made a pledge to my constituents not 
to vote for a bill that will raise taxes, and I haven't. So how do we 
pay for this without a force-fed tax increase on the American people?
  Two: Why is this bill so confusing? It is written in a way that even 
the most reasonable people from even the same political party can 
honestly disagree on its meaning. The 1,017-page bill, if it passes, 
will then allow the bureaucrats to determine the meaning of the bill. 
Also, Texans don't want unelected bureaucrats in this city making their 
medical decisions on what services they get and don't get. Can we get a 
clearly written bill that everyone can understand?
  Three: Why shouldn't Congress, the czars and members of the Cabinet 
be required to sign up for the public option? If it is going to be so 
good for the American people, shouldn't everyone supporting this plan 
be required to be under the public option, like government officials?
  Four: People on Medicare are scared and afraid they are not going to 
receive any medical treatment. What is in the plan to make sure there 
is no rationing of medical care for the elderly?
  Five: Why not eliminate the hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud 
and waste in our current Medicare system before we tackle anything 
else?
  Six: All of the amendments offered in committee that would 
specifically require proof of citizenship to sign up for this new 
government-run health care were defeated. Americans and legal residents 
should not be required to pay for the health care of illegals. The bill 
is confusing on this issue since it doesn't require proof of 
citizenship.
  Seven: Small business owners are afraid they will have to lay off 
people or shut their doors altogether if they are hit with more new 
taxes. What is the plan to protect small business from bearing the 
brunt of new taxes for this health care idea?
  Madam Speaker, these are seven of the questions I have been asked by 
the people I represent, and I would hope the President could address 
some them and questions by other Members of Congress.
  Madam Speaker, does anyone really believe that big government can do 
a better job of running health care? It is a glittering illusion to 
think our health care problems can be solved by

[[Page 21105]]

more expensive, big-bureaucratic government. We do need reform, but a 
government takeover will only add to the problems we have now. We need 
to fix what is broken, not break what already works.
  So, Madam Speaker, since our President is an innovator of new 
communication ideas, I respectfully submit that a townhall meeting 
between the President and Congress might just be the way to cut to the 
chase in this health care debate and allow the President time to answer 
the questions of the American people.
  And that's just the way it is.

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