[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 27128]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 NOW IS THE TIME FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Himes) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HIMES. Mr. Speaker, after years of aspiration and planning, after 
too many families bankrupted and too many lives lost, this House stands 
ready to do something both great and necessary. We will soon join every 
other civilized nation on this planet in offering each and every 
citizen decent, affordable health care.
  For me, a new Member of this body, it has been an incredible exercise 
in democracy. I participated in more than 60 town hall meetings, visits 
with doctors, nurses, patients, and listened to advocates with every 
conceivable point of view. Almost everyone agrees that we must do 
something and do something bold.
  Too many Americans know the fear that losing a job means losing 
access to doctors and to lifesaving drugs. Too many Americans have 
watched as illness or injury has driven their family into bankruptcy. 
Too many small businesses, nonprofits, and small town mayors have seen 
their budgets wrecked by exploding costs of health care insurance.
  Mr. Speaker, several weeks ago in the city of Bridgeport, I met 
Marta, who lost her job of 23 years and is currently relying on her 
COBRA coverage to pay for the management of her diabetes. She is 
terrified. Her COBRA will end soon, and she has been refused private 
coverage time and time again.
  I've also gotten to know a young man named Eugene who makes his 
living laying bricks. He can only work during the warm weather 
construction months when he has good coverage through his union, but in 
the wintertime when he can't work, he joins Marta in the ranks of the 
fearful. He prays that nothing happens. He asked me, ``Even the phone 
company has rollover minutes. Why not our insurance plans?''
  When this House passes the Affordable Health Care for America Act, no 
American will ever be denied coverage because they have a preexisting 
condition. When this bill passes, we will begin to close the Medicare 
doughnut hole so that no senior will have to choose between their 
prescription and buying food. When this bill passes, our small 
businesses, our nonprofits, and our mayors will no longer watch as 
exploding health care costs wreck their budgets.
  Is the bill perfect? No. But in this of all things, we cannot let the 
perfect be the enemy of the good. There is too much at stake--the lives 
of those who die because they can't see a doctor, the peace of mind of 
millions of Americans who know that bankruptcy is one illness away, the 
moral standing of this great Nation that has fallen too short for too 
long in keeping its people healthy.
  Mr. Speaker, now is the time. Mr. Speaker, ``yes'' is the answer. I 
join my colleagues in urging that tomorrow we make history.

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