[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 27125]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. SMITH of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
Republican health care bill. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget 
Office estimates the Republican alternative will decrease health 
insurance premiums up to 10 percent. Compare that to Speaker Pelosi's 
government-controlled health insurance plan, which CBO estimates will 
have higher premiums than those currently available in the private 
health insurance market. Higher premiums than currently available.
  The medical liability reform Republicans are offering will reduce 
health care costs for Americans by $54 billion over 10 years by 
reducing junk lawsuits. This, again, according to the CBO. What's more, 
the Republican alternative will reduce the deficit by $68 billion 
without increasing taxes by one red cent. We have a clear choice--$700 
billion in new taxes, 118 new bureaucracies and higher health care 
costs or the Republican bill which will take meaningful steps toward 
the true health care reform that we know we need.

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