[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25789]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, what we are seeing today is terribly 
disappointing. Health care reform is necessary and it is urgent. There 
are powerful forces in this country who are determined to keep 47 
million Americans without health insurance, and this same group is 
opposed to giving competition to the insurance industry.
  If we don't reform health care, Medicare costs will surely bankrupt 
our Nation. That is a fact. If we don't reform the cost of employer-
sponsored insurance, we will bankrupt companies and families. If we 
don't act now, uncompensated care will close the doors of rural 
hospitals in my district and your districts across the country.
  We are ready to move forward. Democrats are ready to make this bold 
and visionary decision. I am disappointed we don't have help from the 
other side.

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