[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25777]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, we are so close to achieving 
quality, affordable and accessible health care for all Americans.
  If we were playing football, the team in support of consumer choice, 
the public option, is in the red zone, and we are determined not to go 
three-and-out as we've done for the last six decades. At last, we are 
going to take health care reform with a robust public option right 
across the goal line. Yesterday, the Senate Majority Leader helped 
``move the chains'' when he inserted a strong public option in the 
Senate health care bill. This move down the field positions us one step 
closer to meaningful reform.
  Now my colleagues in the House and I are keeping our offensive line 
strong in support of a robust public option, but it's time to score 
this touchdown for the American people, for the middle class, for 
working people and the young people, including those in the Hillside 
program at Central High School who bear the burden and brunt of this 
failed health care system.
  The status quo is unacceptable and it's a losing strategy. Including 
a robust public health option is real consumer choice; it's the logical 
option to scoring the goal and achieving success.

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