[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8636]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1210
                     PROTECT MEDICAL INNOVATION ACT

  (Mr. BENISHEK asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Speaker, as a doctor, who has taken care of 
patients in northern Michigan for 30 years, I strongly support the 
Protect Medical Innovation Act. This initiative will repeal the 
President's $29 billion job-killing tax hike on our medical device 
manufacturers.
  There are medical device businesses in my district that employ 
hundreds of people. These job providers should not be punished to pay 
for President Obama's health care law.
  I'm a doctor, not a tax expert, but I know tax hikes on our job 
providers will hurt northern Michigan's economy. To me, it makes no 
sense to tax medical innovation. If this tax increase is enacted, there 
is little doubt these costs will be passed down to consumers and 
increase health care costs.
  Mr. Speaker, I spent my entire career serving my community as a 
doctor. I want to see real health care solutions that put patients in 
control of their care, not the Federal Government.
  I believe we need to listen to the American people about the need for 
real health care reform. I recommend we enact free-market reforms like 
letting people purchase health insurance across State lines, 
encouraging medical innovation, and allowing patients more flexibility 
in deciding how to spend their health care dollars.

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