[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 15069]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                          ACA EXCHANGE OPENING

  (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, despite Republicans' conviction 
to defund, dismantle, and shut the Federal Government down because they 
want to deny health care to millions of Americans, exchanges have 
opened across the country with overwhelming response. In fact, in my 
home State of California, Covered California, which is California's 
exchange, reported 5 million page views to their Web site by 3 o'clock 
in the afternoon, exceeding expectations.
  Women can no longer be charged more for just being a woman. Victims 
of domestic violence can no longer be denied coverage for having a 
preexisting condition, and insurance companies can no longer increase 
premiums to increase profits while delivering less health care to 
consumers.
  Mr. Speaker, the American people are tired of this. Hostage-taking is 
a deplorable tactic. Shutting down the government in exchange for 
denying health care for millions is morally wrong.
  Let's reopen the government. We should do it now. The American people 
deserve us to do our job to keep government functioning. That's our 
patriotic duty.

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