[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26544]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        IN SUPPORT OF THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA ACT

  (Ms. TSONGAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Affordable 
Health Care for America Act. This bill represents tireless negotiation, 
compromise, and input from Americans all across the country. We have 
been trying to reform our health care system since Harry Truman's 
Presidency, so this bill by no means represents brand new ideas; 
rather, it has been a work in progress for decades.
  Attempts to reform our health care system in the past have failed 
because of false claims that this is socialized medicine. And, of 
course, these are the same arguments that the bill's opponents are 
making today. But it won't work this time because the American people 
are tired of unaffordable premiums, of unfairly losing coverage, and 
the fine print that prevents them from getting the care they need. It 
gives the power back to the patient by creating a more transparent, 
more competitive health insurance market.
  In a country as wealthy as ours, no one should have to face losing 
their life or seriously compromising their health because they cannot 
access, cannot afford, or have been denied health care coverage.

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