[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25779]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. BONNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, there is an old saying, common in south 
Alabama, that we need to practice what we preach. Well, if reports are 
accurate, it sounds like Congress will be moving forward with health 
care legislation that contains a government-run public option, no 
matter how hard the Democratic leadership might try to rebrand this 
poison pill.
  Well, I am going to oppose with every ounce of me a Federal takeover 
of our health care system. I couldn't agree more with our friend Dr. 
John Fleming of Louisiana, who has introduced a resolution that says 
that any Member of Congress who votes for a public option should be the 
first one to sign up for it. After all, if a public option is good 
enough for you, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, then your elected Representative 
should be the first to try it out.
  This is especially true for our seniors who are looking at draconian 
cuts to Medicare, cuts to Medicare Advantage, and, according to the 
CBO, a 20 percent increase in their prescription drug premiums over the 
next decade, not to mention higher taxes for all Americans, just to 
help pay for this major step towards socialized medicine.
  Practicing what we preach means just that. Congress won't ask the 
American people to take any poison that we don't take first.

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