[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25790]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Ms. TSONGAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the important 
responsibility in front of us on health care reform. We are at a 
momentous time in our history. For the first time, we have a bill that 
has been approved by all five committees of jurisdiction. And although 
there are still details to be worked out, for the first time the 
majority of us have consensus on the structures and goals of this bill. 
We have never gotten this far, and I feel privileged to be in the House 
of Representatives at this time.
  So now is not the time to say ``no,'' to instill false fear, and to 
derail this important effort. We must work together to make sure that 
what we end up passing is the best it can be for the American people 
because the cost of doing nothing is too great. Without reform, the 
cost of health care for the average American family is expected to rise 
$1,800 every year, with no end in sight. If we don't act now, this 
problem is only going to get worse. If we don't act, 14,000 Americans 
will continue to lose their health insurance every single day. We are 
in a unique moment.

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