[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3523]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Ms. CLARKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, we all know that health care costs are 
unsustainable. They're still crushing families, small businesses and 
large companies alike. When people lose their jobs, they lose their 
health insurance. Even people who do have jobs and want coverage but 
have preexisting conditions still couldn't get coverage.
  We are closer than ever to reforming our Nation's broken health 
insurance system with a plan that puts America back in control of their 
health care choices, holds insurance companies accountable, and makes 
coverage more affordable.
  As we move forward through this legislative process, I am confident 
that our bill will make health insurance affordable for the middle 
class and small businesses by reducing premiums and out-of-pocket 
costs, give millions of Americans access to affordable insurance 
choices through a new, competitive health insurance market, and hold 
insurance companies accountable to keep premiums down and prevent 
denials of coverage, including for preexisting conditions. And it will 
close the disastrous doughnut hole that seniors are having to chose 
between lifesaving medication and food to eat.
  For over 12 years, the once Republican-led Congress has failed to do 
this. We're going to do it now.

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