[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. WHITFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, there are many provisions of the 
Democratic health care bill that we support, like taking care of the 
preexisting condition problem.
  But we also oppose cutting Medicare by $500 billion over 10 years. We 
oppose taking $155 billion out of the hospital account. We oppose 
reducing Medicare Advantage by $123 billion. We oppose taxing, putting 
a surtax on small business men and women, thousands of them. We oppose 
individuals being penalized 2.5 percent of their gross income if they 
do not buy a policy. We oppose requiring employers to pay 8 percent of 
the gross wages of their employees if they do not provide insurance. 
Then, after all of that, there still is $200 billion needed to pay for 
this expensive health care bill.
  Those on this side of the aisle are willing to work with the other 
side of the aisle if they would simply open the door and give us the 
opportunity.

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