[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5026]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HEALTH CARE REFORM IN AMERICA

  (Ms. MARKEY of Colorado asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. MARKEY of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today proud of the 
accomplishment of this House in finally passing health care reform. 
This legislation was the culmination of decades of work to bring some 
sanity to our health care system.
  Now Americans with preexisting conditions will no longer be pushed 
aside by insurance companies. No insurance company will be able to tell 
a parent that their newborn's weight is a preexisting condition.
  In my district, in 2008, 1,400 families filed for bankruptcy from 
health care costs, putting their lives, their homes, and everything at 
risk because of health care costs. This bill will protect them from 
skyrocketing expenses.
  In addition, nearly 20,000 businesses will receive credits to help 
them afford insurance.
  I have long been a supporter of the 25 community health care centers 
in my district. These centers will now have the resources to provide 
primary care at an affordable cost. Our hospitals will also save tens 
of millions of dollars they now lose to unreimbursed care.
  I am proud to have done my part by voting for this health care reform 
bill.

                          ____________________