[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26547]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, health care reform should be 
focused on lowering the cost of health care and health insurance. Yet 
Democrats are pushing a bill that would increase costs by having the 
government take over our Nation's health care system.
  Under the Democrat bill, seniors will be forced to pay more for fewer 
Medicare benefits. Families will pay more out of their pockets for 
health care, and it will be more expensive for small businesses to 
offer health benefits.
  On top of these higher individual premiums and prices, the Democrat 
bill increases government spending by over $1 trillion in the first 
decade.
  We need to lower costs and give families and individuals more 
choices, not increase costs and restrict choices through a government 
takeover.
  One of the clear ways to reduce costs is to end lawsuit abuse. 
Frivolous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care for everyone. Yet 
on this issue Democrats are on the side of lawsuits.
  Mr. Speaker, legislation that increases spending over a trillion 
dollars while increasing the costs paid by seniors and families is 
legislation that I cannot support.

                          ____________________