[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. As we know, health care is not a luxury; it is 
simply a necessity. And here in the United States we already have the 
best doctors, the best hospitals, the best patient care in the world. 
What we do not have is the best access to health care. That access lies 
in being able to obtain quality health care at a fair price.
  All families deserve to know that their health care needs will be 
met. We need to promote changes that make health care insurance easily 
accessible and affordable for all Americans. And we need to do this in 
a way that fixes what is broken in the system without destroying what 
works in the system.
  What we need is real health care reform. Real health care reform 
means that no one should be denied coverage due to a preexisting health 
condition. Real health care reform means coverage should be portable 
and stay with you through job changes or career changes. Real health 
care reform means that there should be no discrimination based on age 
or gender. Real health care reform means expanding the health care 
options for all Americans by forcing insurance companies to compete for 
all of our business. Real health care reform means supporting effective 
prevention, wellness, and disease management programs. And, most 
importantly, real health care reform means all of these things without 
destroying the current health care system that over 80 percent of 
Americans have said they are happy with.
  The Pelosi health care bill wants to raise taxes on all individuals 
by 2.5 percent if they do not purchase bureaucrat-approved health 
insurance. The Pelosi health care bill makes over $162 billion in cuts 
to Medicare Advantage for seniors. The Pelosi health care bill will 
eventually force Americans to purchase their coverage through the 
Federal Government with no real competition. The Pelosi health care 
bill makes no effort to control the skyrocketing costs of health care 
or insurance premiums. Instead, the Pelosi health care bill finds 
convoluted ways to hide health care costs in taxes on individuals, 
businesses, and by making timely and professional care a scarce 
resource.
  As a mother and as a grandmother, I know that American families are 
worried. In the average household, it is us women who are often tasked 
with major and minor health care decisions. We choose our family 
doctors and take our kids and elderly parents to doctors' appointments. 
We stay home to nurse the sick children and our partners back to 
health. And we have seen every scrape, every cut, every blister that 
our family members have ever had. We know that families are in this 
together and we bind and look after our families.
  Women know that if health care reform excludes even one member of our 
family, then it is unworkable. And we know the high cost of health care 
is the most important issue facing our Nation right now, because it is 
the most important issue facing our families.
  Everyone deserves access to health care insurance. Everyone deserves 
health care treatment. And everyone deserves both at an affordable 
price.
  The Pelosi health care bill is not the answer. We can, and indeed, we 
must, do better.

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