[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11024]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        VOTE AGAINST THE REPEAL

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, we have just finished part 
of the debate for legislation that wants to repeal the Affordable Care 
Act. I rise today as we conclude and begin to look toward the 
conclusion of the debate tomorrow to make a public appeal.
  When the 1965 Medicare law was written, it was written to save lives. 
We have statistics that recognize that prior to Medicare, Americans 
were living 60 years and under. It is well documented that we've 
extended the lives of senior citizens through Medicare. Now the 
Affordable Care Act seeks to extend the lives of the sickest of the 
sick, to extend the lives of children with preexisting diseases, to 
extend the lives of individuals who would not have access to insurance, 
or those families who have been thrown into poverty because of 
catastrophic illnesses or an accident. We can do better.
  This bill is a promise of allowing and providing for all Americans to 
be insured. This bill cries out for Republicans and Democrats to work 
together. This bill cries out for saving the lives of Americans who 
have been falling along the highway of despair and dying.
  It is important for us to look for the common and better good, the 
public good. Save this bill. Vote against the repeal.

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