[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 22868-22869]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               REPUBLICANS CAN SOLVE HEALTH CARE PROBLEMS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURTON of INDIANA. I can't believe what I just saw. I can't 
believe it.
  First of all, it's totally wrong; and secondly, it's making fun of a 
very important issue for the American people. We do have health care 
problems in this country, and we need to solve those problems, but 
coming down here and making light of the issue by coming up with a lot 
of silly talk is just ridiculous.
  The Republicans have a bill, H.R. 3400, which deals with the problem 
in a way that does not get the government in between the patient and 
their doctor. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to come 
up with a government plan where the government starts making all the 
rules and taking a major place in between the patient and their doctor.
  And, you know, I would like to say to my friends across the country, 
if they happen to be watching, and my colleagues--and I know I can't do 
that. I can't address anybody except my colleagues. But if I were 
talking to people across this country, I would like to ask them, What 
government agency has done such a great job that you would want to rely 
on them for your health care? Just start naming a couple. What 
government agency has done such a good job that they're not spending 
much more money than you anticipate they're going to spend, and then 
think about health care.
  The projections are that the Democrats' plan is going to cost between 
$1 and $3 trillion over the next 10 years, money we do not have. Money 
that your kids and your grandkids are going to have to pay for with 
higher taxes and inflation.
  And they say that we don't have a plan. We do have a plan. We want to 
allow businesses to band together so they can get the best rates like 
major corporations. We want businesses to be able to go across State 
lines to buy insurance at the best rate possible. We want to set up 
medical savings accounts so people will have the money of their own, 
tax deductible money put into the account by them and their employer, 
and they can use it as they see fit for medical coverage, and then if 
there is a major expense above the $2,000 or $3,000 of their money 
that's in the bank, you can have a major medical policy. It would save 
an awful lot of money.
  There is no question that we have maybe 10 million people in the 
country who are indigent, who don't have health care, that we need to 
deal with. Not the illegal aliens, not the people who elected not to 
have insurance, but the 10 million people who really don't have it and 
need it. And in our plan, H.R. 3400, we address that. And we could 
solve this problem for a few billion dollars, not trillions of dollars 
like the Democrats talk about.
  In their original bill--they talk about we're waiting for people to 
die. In their bill, they had a phrase in there that said, or a 
paragraph that said you should have regular meetings with 
paraprofessionals to talk about end-of-life planning. End-of-life 
planning. That's something that should be between an individual, their 
pastor, and their family, and their doctor.
  Mr. DUNCAN. If the gentleman will yield.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I would be happy to yield to my friend from 
Tennessee.
  Mr. DUNCAN. I want to speak very briefly to say that the Republicans 
want--or that our health plan is to hope that all of the people die 
quickly is--I have been here 21 years, and that is about the most mean-
spirited, partisan statement that I've ever heard made on the floor of 
this House. And I, for one, don't appreciate it at all, and that brings 
the debate on this important issue to about the lowest level of any 
debate I've heard since I have been here.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I would be happy to yield to my colleague from 
Georgia.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. The gentleman from Florida, Mr. Grayson, is 
still on the floor. He could have an opportunity to come down and 
apologize to the House right now for denigrating this discussion, this 
debate, for debasing Members of not just the House of Representatives, 
but this entire Nation. It's shameful what's been done.
  Mr. Grayson, how about apologizing? Mr. Grayson? Mr. Grayson, how 
about apologizing?
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I think Mr. Grayson has left the Chamber.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank the gentleman.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. If the gentleman will yield.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I would be happy to.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
  The Chair reminds all Members to direct their comments to the Chair.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  And, Madam Speaker, I find it just so unfortunate as we are seeking 
to address and find bipartisan agreement on an issue of paramount 
importance to the American people on an issue that our seniors continue 
to talk to us about every day because of their concerns over Medicare, 
what the delivery is going to be, that we would have someone, Madam 
Speaker, who would come to this floor and would make such a statement 
and would make such accusations.
  And, Madam Speaker, I think that it is fully appropriate that the 
gentleman

[[Page 22869]]

return to the floor and apologize to the Members of this body.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Let me say as we end, Madam Speaker, we don't 
want rationing for seniors, and we don't want $500 billion taken out of 
Medicare.

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