[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3520]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Ms. SCHWARTZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. Families across our Nation understand deeply and 
personally that the status quo in health care is not working. They're 
calling upon us through millions of supportive calls, emails, and 
messages to Congress to pass a uniquely American solution to ensure 
that all Americans have access to meaningful, affordable health 
coverage. And that is what this Congress is committed to do.
  Health care reform means commonsense consumer protections like 
prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on preexisting 
conditions, a provision that was supported by bipartisan, unanimous 
vote last night in the Budget Committee. It means affordable, private 
health care options. Choices for individuals and small businesses. It 
means strengthening Medicare for seniors, which means closing that 
doughnut hole--the gap in prescription coverage for too many seniors; 
improving quality and efficiency in health care services; and 
containing the rising cost of health care, a challenge that faces all 
of us as taxpayers and as purchasers of health care and health 
coverage.
  Our plan builds on America's public-private system. It is not only 
paid for, but it reduces the Federal deficit by $100 billion. Passing 
health care reform benefits all of us. The status quo is unacceptable. 
Now is the time to act.

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