the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from missouri seek recognition? mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1075, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1075, resolution commending the members of the agribusiness development teams of the national guard for their efforts together with personnel of the department of agriculture and the united states agency for international development to modernize agriculture practices and increase food production in war-torn countries. . the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mr. skelton, and the gentlewoman from colorado, mr. lamborn, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i

might consume and i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislate -- legislative days in which to revise and extends their remarks on the resolution under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of h.res. 1075, a resolution commending the agri-business development teams of the national guard and i thank the gentleman from missouri for introducing this resolution. the agri-business development teams, often called a.t.d.'s, are some successes of the mission in afghanistan. agriculture makes up about 45% of the afghanistan's gross domestic product and employs over 70% of its population. although afghanistan once supplied food for the region, 30 years of war has degraded the agriculture economy of afghanistan so much that

substantial assistance is required to rebuild it and ensure that afghanistan has food security. the first of agriculture development teams was from the great state of missouri and i have the particular pride in the great work that they do. these missourians, these teams are made up of national guard members who have expertise in agriculture from their civil lives. these volunteers spend one month training for deployment in indiana and then they are sent to afghanistan for 11 months. each team has about 58 personnel with 12 agriculture experts, although all members of the team have some level of agriculture expertise. right now the team is dough employed, including one from -- team is deployed, including one from missouri. i might mention that the thanksgiving before last i spent it with the missouri agriculture national guard team in afghanistan and i must tell you

that they did a fantastic job. i'm very proud of them, i was proud to visit with them, break bread with them on the thanksgiving day and tell them that we in missouri are downright proud of them. from the start missouri national guard has been a leader in the program and fourth missouri team is now preparing to go. missouri guard members have gone to afghanistan and returned, i ask that their names be included in the record. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from reserves. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i yield myself such time as i might consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, today i rise in support of house resolution 1075. i am pleased to join my colleagues, representative luetkemeyer and the chairman of the armed services committee, representative ike skelton, both of missouri, as well as the many co-sponsors of this resolution in expressing the gratitude and

pride of the united states house of representatives for the work of the u.s. national guard's agri-business development teams. the efforts of these brave men and women, along with their colleagues from the department of agriculture and the united states agency for international development, are critical to creating economic opportunities for nations such as afghanistan. we all know too well that afghanistan has been devastated by nearly three decades of war and such efforts in addition to what our combat forces are doing are instrumental in bringing security and stability to the country. i would like to take a moment to recognize all those who serve our military and civilians. i am proud to stand here today and say thank you. thank you for making the choice to serve. thank you for sharing your skills and expertise with the afghan people. thank you for protecting america's interests and representing the best she has to offer. and i thank your families as well for their sacrifices. i want to thank the gentleman

from missouri, the gentleman from missouri for introducing this bill. i urge my colleagues to support this resolution. thank you, mr. speaker, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i yield one minute to my friend and my colleague from wisconsin, mr. kind. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's recognized for one minute. mr. kind: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank my friend from missouri for yielding the time and i also want to commend my colleague who introduced the resolution. i was a proud co-sponsor of this resolution. in a previous trip to afghanistan i too had a chance to spend some time with the national guard agri-business development teams and we can't thank our troops for the mission that they're carries out in afghanistan enough. and it's especially true for the citizens -- citizen soldiers we sent over there, guard and reserve units. but the agriculture business development teams are performing a very vital and important function in the development and assistance that's taking place in afghanistan.

a country which, after all, is an agriculture nation. i'm especially proud that one of the leaders of the national guard is a gentleman by the name of colonel marty leopard who was a kid who grew up out of -- in a farm in wisconsin and i commend usda and you said for the military -- usaid for the military leadership of identifying our soldiers with agriculture backgrounds and utilizing that expertise in the development of these ag development teams working with afghan farmers. that's going to be the key to a successful resolution in the economic development that has to occur in that country and i again commend my colleague for offering the resolution. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield four minutes to the gentleman from missouri, mr. luetkemeyer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri is recognized for four minutes. mr. luetkemeyer: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm proud to rise in support of house resolution 1075,

commending the agri-business development teams or a.d.t.'s, on their work. i want to thank chairman skelton along with ranking member mckeon as well ased rest of the missouri delegation for their support and efforts in helping the missouri a.d.t.'s. in addition i'd like to thank the senior senator from missouri for his support of the a.d.t. program from its very beginning. there are many people who have made efforts -- made the efforts of the a.d.t. a great success. first i want to commend colonel marty leopard, chief tony romano and the entire team of men and women dedicated to improve the situation in afghanistan. they have met a massive challenge with determination to see their goals achieved. the national guard's agri-business development teams started as a pilot program in missouri. the missouri team partnered with missouri farm bureau, university of missouri and lincoln university to draw a blueprint that is being followed by other army national guard units from

around the united states. in addition, a.d.t.'s get resources and guidance from the national guard bureau, the united states department of agriculture and the united states agency for international development. the national guard a.d.t.'s have a big mission. they hope to modernize agricultural practices, increase food production in a war-torn country. a.d.t.'s are made up of guard members who have civilian background in farming or are related agriculture business. and using those skills to teach afghan farmers sustainable foreign practices. this task is not easy but the units from 11 different states have been working long hours with farmers and community officials. the farming practices used today by the afghans are very primitive, only -- almost medieval level farming. the teams have been deployed -- the teams that have been deployed work with afghan farm tv to provide basic agricultural requirements. their goals include improving irrigation systems and providing

effective methods for fertilizing, planting, harvesting, marketing and storage of agricultural crops. in addition they establish modern facilities to help contain spreading diseases, set up markets to trade crops and livestock, create a juicing facility and vet clinics. they may have been quick to use alternative energy resources such as wind, solar and small water dams as well. maintaining a reliable water source still remains one of the biggest problems. the guard units are using sustainable methods for pumping water and working on watershed manage am to capture show melt and -- management to capture snow melt for irrigation. since a national energy grid of -- and 24/7 energy is not available, these alternative energy sources actually provide a better solution. there is no easy fix for the situation in afghanistan. there are problems with local customs, tribal leadership and issues of rights that must be

solved on a routine basis. if a team wants to construct a building or dig a well he has to find out which village elder has authority to grant permission to use the land in many villages, property usage and ownership is decided in meetings with family elders. however, our young men and women labor vigorously in certain of solutions to these many challenges. the work in afghanistan is important. where agriculture makes up 45% of the gross domestic product and employs more than 70% of the population. farming practical fisses are inefficient and outdated. many afghan fields are used to grow opium poppy plants which provide the raw material used to make heroin. it is my hope that establishing a viable agricultural industry will provide farmers throughout afghanistan with alternatives and quite frankly, mr. speaker, in my judgment it this is the way that we're going to be successful in afghanistan, by turning the afghan people and their economy around and earning their trust to be able to work with us in running the taliban out of the country.

the bill we consider today recognizes the good work of these men and women that their carrying out every day. i encourage other states to look at ways they can contribute to the national guard a.d.t.'s. i urge my colleagues to join in passing the legislation. thank you, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. lamborn: once again i commend the national guard for their service to this country and to the cause of freedom. the freedom they work and fight for is embodied in the constitutional system that we enjoy in this country. few votes we have taken in this body will affect our constitutional system of freedom more than the vote we take tomorrow on health care. now, the american people have spoken loud and clear on this issue of health care. they do not want a government takeover of health care.

and the latest health care plan that we will be voting on as early as tomorrow afternoon is still a government takeover of health care despite what others have said because it, number one, includes billions of dollars in new taxes and over $1 trillion of new government spending, it will cause millions of employees to cancel the health care they offer their employees and force these individuals into a government-run health care plan, it creates a health care czar to impose health care price controls that will lead to a shortage of care and even more individuals falling into the government-run insurance, it will mandate private citizens that they purchase health care whether they need it or want it. democrats are planning to abuse the legislative process to pass purely partisan legislation with no bipartisan support, that will change 1/6 of the american economy.

democrat leaders are even considering a process that will allow their health care bill to become law without an up or down vote. and that would be the so-called slaughter solution named for the chairman of the rules committee, representative slaughter of new york. this would declare that the house deems the senate version of obamacare to have been passed by the house. house members would still have to vote on whether to accept the rule, but then they would be able to say they only voted for the rule and not for the underlying senate bill. but remember, a vote on the rule is a vote on the bill. legislative tricks and unconstitutional procedures should not be used to jam through congress a partisan bill that will impact the life of every american and affect 1/6 of our nation's economy. the american people have been trying to get the message across that they want congress to start over on health care through an open and honest dialogue and process. it is time to work step by step

on health care reform that will lower costs for families without increasing the size of the federal government. i would like to point out, mr. speaker, that when you add the 4,872 pages of legislative text to the 1,347 pages of committee reports you have a total of 6,219 pages of bill text. now, we got the final version of this 72 hours ago. well, 72 hours from the potential vote tomorrow afternoon. and if a member was to take all 72 hours, allowing for eight hours of sleep each day, because otherwise they may just get burnt out, that leaves 48 hours of solid reading of this 6,200 pages, that works out to 129 pages an hour or two pages a minute. i haven't seen a lot of members frankly spending their time

reading two pages a minute for this 6,000 pages and yet that's what we're being asked to vote on as early as tomorrow afternoon. i don't think that's really what the american people deserve for how this body should do its business. at this point, mr. speaker, i would like to yield -- i would like to reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i yield one minute to the gentleman from missouri, mr. con han. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute.

mr. carnahan: thank you, mr. speaker. it's an honor to be here and to speak on behalf of this resolution and that honors the members of the agriculture development teams that have been operating. these are joint missions that combines some of the best of our military capabilities, best of our civilian capabilities, and they operate in some of the most important areas where we need to succeed. we've seen the success of these teams on the ground in afghanistan. we have -- we have heard from our military leaders how essential they are to our success. we are very pleased that our missouri national guard has been one of the leading groups that has done this. they have worked with our universities, with our rural

electric co-ops and many of our civilian capabilities have been brought to bear from our farming communities in missouri to help bring more advanced agriculture methods to afghanistan and to be sure that -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. carnahan: succeed in the fight against terrorism. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: thank you, mr. speaker. at this point i'd like to yield two minutes to my colleague from the state of texas, mr. poe. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for two minutes. mr. poe: thank you. i appreciate the gentleman yielding. i totally support 1075 and the support of the national guard and the agri development -- agri-development business teams. they are doing a phenomenal job in iraq and afghanistan. the chairman could give me the exact number but i don't know the percentage of national guard troops that are in afghanistan, but it's extremely high. we count on the citizen soldiers to help us in times of war, and they are there, not just from the state of missouri

but from the state of texas as well. and i had the chance to be with some national guard troops in afghanistan during the christmas season. they are doing a phenomenal business in helping those afghans change from growing poppies that's turned to cocaine and heroin that's sold primarily in europe and teaching them to form wheat and soybeans. in fact, the university of -- texas averbings&m university has a soybean that yields nine-fold than a typical soybean and they are being grown in afghanistan. this bill is an important bill because it recognizes our national guard but also this bill is a bipartisan bill. it is supported by both sides and legislation in this house to be successful should be supported by both sides. and unlike the health care bill that we are going to vote on tomorrow afternoon, it's only supported by a portion of one

side with no input from the others. and i think that we should have the bipartisan vote in support of the health care bill as well which unfortunately we are not. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i have no further requests for time. but in answer to the gentleman from texas, my understanding is that right now as we speak, though the number is increasing, there are some 80,000 american troops in afghanistan today. having no further requests, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i'd like to inquire how much time our side has remaining. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has nine minutes remaining. mr. lamborn: thank you. i yield myself such time as i may consume. let me just continue where i left off a few moments ago talking about this huge bill tomorrow that affects our nation's freedom so much on

health care. and let me just point out that our side of the aisle, the republicans have introduced 70 bills that offer free-market solutions to health care reform that do not take over america's system of health care. for instance, one solution, h.r. 3400, is the empowering patients first act. this particular bill would do three things, mr. speaker. number one, it gives access to coverage for all americans. it makes the purchase of health care financially feasible for all by extending the income tax deduction on health care premiums to those who purchase coverage in the nongroup or individual markets. right now you only have this tax break if you're an employee of a corporation. that's not fair to all americans. everyone should have that same tax break. the beauty of that is that you would have a tax advantaged purchase price on your health

care premiums and you would own that premium. it wouldn't have to come to you through your job. and then it would be portable. if you go to another job, if you transfer, if you lose your job, you don't lose your coverage. it goes with you when you buy it yourself. that's why that point is so important. number two, coverage is truly owned by the patients. like i said, this gives greater choice and portability and it expands the individual market. we can also to accomplish this goal create pooling mechanisms such as association health plans. i have friends who are realtors in the real estate industry. they would love to form a national association of real estate agents and brokers and employees all over this country. that association would have tremendous buying power and economies of scale. but right now that's prohibited by law. that's a commonsense solution that republicans have offered, and i dare say would have bipartisan support in this body.

and thirdly, we need to rein in out-of-control costs, and 3400 does that as well. it reforms the medical liability system. it establishes administrative health care try bunals, you can call them health ports, in each state and adds affirmative defense. that would be a defense if you're charged with some kind of malpractice as a provider. this would encourage, also, the speedy resolution of claims and would cap noneconomic damages. so mr. speaker, let me just conclude by saying that there are reforms that the republicans have offered that would be not a massive overhaul of 1/6 of our nation's economy and would incorporate free-market mechanisms and procedures that the american people would be much more comfortable in. if you look at the pooling, the americans don't want a massive takeover of health care. at this point i would yield the

balance of my time. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: all time has expired. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1075 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are -- mr. skelton: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton: i request the yeas and nays on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 and the chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, proceedings will resume on questions previously postponed. votes will be taken in the following order -- suspending

the rules and passing h.r. 4887 by the yeas and nays, agreeing to the speaker's approval of the journal by the yeas and nays, and suspending the rules and agreeing to h.res. 1040 by the yeas and nays. the first vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote. remaining electronic votes will be conducted as five-minute votes. the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4887 as amended, on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 4887, a bill to amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to ensure that health coverage provided by the department defense is treated as minimal essential coverage. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house

suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended. members will record their votes by electronic device. this will be a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 403. the nays are zero. 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona rise? >> madam speaker, i ask permission to speak out of order for one minute.

unanimous consent to speak for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the house will be in order. members will remove their conversations from the aisles and floor. members will take their seats. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona rise? >> ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. pastor: madam speaker, it is with great sadness to inform the house that former interior secretary stewart udall, father of our former house colleague, senator tom udall, and uncle of our other former member, senator mark udall, passed away this morning at his home in santa fe, new mexico. surrounded by his family, he was 90 years old. stewart udall was born in st.

johns, arizona, on january 21, 1920 to levi udall and louise udall. he earned an undergraduate and law degree. stewart served four years in the united states air force as gaughanner. he flew 50 missions over western europe for which he received the air medal with three oak leaf clusters. in 1954, stewart was elected to serve from arizona's second congressional district to the u.s. house of representatives. he was elected to serve four terms in congress, which he did with great distinction. in 1960 he proved instrumental in helping persuade arizona democrats to support then senator john f. kennedy during the democratic national convention. upon election in 1960,

president kennedy appointed stewart udall as secretary of interior for his accomplishments under secretary -- under president kennedy and johnson made him an icon in environmental and conservation communities. achievements from secretary udall's cabinet career include the wilderness act of 1964, the wild and scenic rivers act, the expansion of the national parks system and the creation of the land and water conservation fund. until his passing, stewart udall continued his dedication to public service as an author, historian, scholar, lecturer and environmental activist, lawyer and citizen of the outdoors -- lover and citizen of the outdoors, he was the last surviving member of president kennedy's cabinet. he is preceded in death by his wife for 50 years, irma udall.

he's survived by his six children, tom, scott, lynn, lori, denise and jay, and other family members including eight grandchildren. the country is greater served -- the country is greater for stewart udall's service, and on behalf of the house, i wish to extend the deepest condolence to the udall family. and i ask that we join for one minute a remembrance.

mr. pastor: i thank the house and i thank you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona rise? mr. flake: parliamentary inquiry. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will state his parliamentary inquiry. mr. flake: many of us are confused about the last vote we took. we need to see if we have it right. we had the vote to include tricare for life because it's not included in the senate bill that we will vote on tomorrow, is that correct? the speaker pro tempore: members may consult the legislative text that was in the house. mr. flake: further parliamentary inquiry. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will state his parliamentary inquiry. mr. flake: is it true that this will take effect -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will suspend. members will remove their conversations from the floor. the gentleman deserves to be heard on his parliamentary inquiry. the gentleman will restate his parliamentary inquiry. mr. flake: it is our

understanding that the senate bill is it not include cover for tricare for life, the vote that we will take tomorrow, and so we're amending a bill that hasn't been passed yet, is that correct? i apologize. i went to say tricare, not tricare for life. it's our understanding that the senate bill that we will vote on tomorrow does not include coverage for tricare, is that correct? the speaker pro tempore: members may consult the relevant legislative text and come to their own conclusion. mr. flake: i thank the chair. the speaker pro tempore: i thank the gentleman. without objection, five-minute voting will resume. the unfinished business is the question on agreeing to the speaker's approval of the journal on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the question is on agreeing to the speaker's approval of the journal. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote.

[captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 211, the nays are 86. the next is the business of the vote on the motion of the gentlewoman from california to suspend the rules and agree to h.res. 1040 on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1040, resolution honoring the

life and accomplishments of donald harington for his contributions to literature and the -- in the united states. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to the resolution. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 399, the nays are zero. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1 the house will stand in recess subject to the call of the

chair. >> earlier today members approved a bill that expands public lands, management training, legislation allowing agencies to enter into a contract with service group through which volunteers perform projects. melt care remains the main focus. you can follow the house live here on c-span when members gavel back in. we'll go live to capitol hill now, as house members are awaiting the arrival of president obama. here's house majority leader steny hoyer.

>> the senate-passed health care bill will be in order for a vote on the floor of the house. under the current procedures, we will proceed immediately to bill on a vote. there will be no intervening debate. and we will vote on that. when we do that, that will be tantamount to the same thing we would have done had we been in conference. that is to say, we would have adopted amendments to the senate bill in conference. then we would have adopted the senate bill as amended. this procedure is very similar to that kind of conference procedure. we expect, as i say, to have the votes to pass the senate bill. it will then go to the president, and the reconciliation bill will go to the senate.

we have every reason to believe that the senate will pass that reconciliation bill and will then send it to the president. he will sign it, and it will amend the then-existing in-law senate bill. >> mr. hoyer, many of you and your fellow leaders were so adamant that the way to go was ok. was it just the bottom line that many of your members said that this does not look like transparency in washington? >> well, i think that frankly, if we voted twice, we would have voted on the senate bill and then the reconciliation bill. what this gives us the opportunity to do is to vote, as you would in conference, for the amendments first -- i.e., the reconciliation bill -- and then the senate bill. so we believe this is a better process. >> what changed? why this now? >> we determined that we could do this and it was a better process in, consultation with

the chairwoman of the rules committee. >> both the reconciliation bill and the senate bill? >> well, the whip is here. but clearly we believe we have the votes. >> you reached a resolution on abortion on executive orders? >> it's still under discussion. [inaudible question] >> senator reid will be here this afternoon with us and he has met with speaker pelosi and i and talked to mr. clyburn as well. we have seen a letter that he has signed by more than 50 members of the united states senate indicating that they're supportive of the more than 50.

>> looking at a live picture from capitol hill, as we await the arrival of president obama to the capitol to speak with democratic members about health care this afternoon. you just heard majority leader hoyer laying out the schedule for tomorrow's vote and debate on the two health care bills in the house, majority leader hoyer saying that dropping common pasts is a better way to get the bill passed.

and, of course, that is the big story of the day. the democratic lawmakers' decision to drop the slaughter solution to get passage of the senate's health care bill. as members arrive, we are taking your phone calls on the democrats's decision to drop deem and pass. the numbers are on your screen independent callers, we welcome your call as well. the number is on your screen. our first call is noelle in washington state on the independents line. >> yes. i am totally against this deem and pass approach. it was the wrong way to go in the first place. and basically they're forcing this down our throats, and the american people need to rise up and keep telling them no. >> paul in michigan calling on the democrats line. >> you know, i think this whole

thing about the deem and pass, i think they just need to drop this. the democrats need to make up their minds and just do what they need to do, because the american people are making -- they're making us look so bad. the president needs to take control now and do something. thank you. >> debbie in san diego on the republicans line. >> hi. the deem and pass, i think, it's probably legal, but i think it's just totally the wrong way to go on this bill. i think we need an up-and-down vote. and i want to note that pretty much half the democrats don't even want to vote for this. that's because it's very flawed. it does not really address the true costs of health care shall because the true costs have grown over the past 18 years because of all the paperwork and jobs created by the health care industry because we're running all the small stuff through insurance. insurance was never meant for the small stuff.

i haven't seen anybody on the republican or the democrat side realize this. and i've been writing in for two years, including to president obama when he was a candidate about this egregious cost we have, and we americans need to recognize that. part of the reason we need to sort of remind congress that they have not been really looking at the true cause, and we are getting nonsense insurance from our employers and unions for the small stuff. and people who call these good policies really are getting lousy policies, because it's very expensive when you run the small stuff through insurance. so what we need is to fund h.s.a.'s, health savings accounts for small stuff, have it be tax deductible. that is the best way to go. and also, when we compare our healthcare system over here to europe, we are forgetting that europe is 20 different countries. they all do their systems

differently and compete between them and cross borders. and so there are just so many things that are flawed about this bill, and to deem and pass it through would just be ludicrous for us. >> house democrats, continuing to arrive on capitol hill, awaiting president obama to come and talk to them. and "the washington post" has this story. house leaders have decided to take a separate vote on the senate's health care bill, rejecting an earlier, much criticized strategy, that would have permitted them to deem the unpopular measure passed without an explicit vote. congressman chris van hollen of maryland said the house would take three votes tomorrow, first on a resolution that would set the terms of debate, second on a package of amendments to the senate bill that have been demanded by house members, and third, on the senate bill itself. we continue to take your phone calls next. to james from indiana on the democrats line. go ahead, james. i'm going to ask you to turn

your tv down, if you works please. >> yes. single-pair plan that we have for health care. whatever happened to that and what is the problem with that? why is it not feasible for americans, but feasible for europeans? question to point. thank you. >> thanks for your call. edgar in nevada, democrat. >> yeah. i'm just wondering why they don't get it, that all these other companies are doing so much better and they're taking care of everybody, and there's still private health care in england, there's still private options you can do in these other countries. they still have thriving insurance businesses for rich folks. why can't we get basic coverage this is america. gee whiz.

>> we'll go to our republicans line and hear from john in pennsylvania. >> hello. i would just like to know how in the world they think they can pass a bill without knowing what's in it, as nancy pelosi said. she said we need to pass this bill so we can see what is in it. and to my way of thinking, that is absolutely foolish. who would ever want to buy a house without first going to look at it? thank you. >> the bill actually has been available for reading online. were you aware of that? >> well, i've heard maybe it was. but why did she say a thing like that? she doesn't know all that's in it. they're going to insert stuff after, so-called, they pass it. >> thanks for your call. to chicago. and ralph, who's calling on the independents line. >> yes, sir. thanks for this show. and why don't they fuss at all

the controversial aspects and bring freedom of choice and health care alternative like laetril like 24 states voted for more medical marijuana and save $1 trillion and three related wars on drugs, including domestically, internationally and in the war on disease? with medical freedom of choice, we could lower costs by 99-fold or percent. consider nutrition, massage, meditation, marijuana, music, home yop thee, etc., versus surgery, radiation and chemo, that economics in health care is different than other, because sometimes less is more and small is beautiful. consider the placebo effect, the mind-body effect is half of medicine. so by offering patients low-cost alternatives in place

of a scarier stuff, we could -- half the time they get better. nature cures and the doctor takes the fee. and that we lose 200,000 people a year from this side effects a year from all of war on drugs, including lead poisonings from screwups and shootouts. so aids being caused by the war on drugs and jail rape, spring crops and etc.. >> i think we get your point. we do thank you for calling this afternoon. david in idaho, democrats line. >> yes. i think we need to, first of all, pass this health care. and the reason why i say that is because we need to do something. by not doing anything is absolutely insane, because if

we just pass it, whether the republicans agree with it or not, we didn't -- as soon as we pass it, then we can go ahead and work on the tweaks of the bill. but we need to at least pass it and move a step forward by helping americans, because, like i said, by doing nothing, that's worse off. and, you know, i've seen on tv how we go back and forth, back and forth. people are having problems with this health care as it is, so i think we just need to pass it and then we can go from there, whether the republicans agree with it or not. >> members continuing to arrive for the president's visit to capitol hill. we're still taking your phone calls. next, we go to melissa in iowa on the independents line. >> hi. thanks for taking my call. i just want to know when it is capitol hill, president obama, nancy pelosi are actually going to listen to what the american

people want. why is it when they tell you what you want to hear, they get elected, they do their own theng. do we not count at all? i mean, as far as i'm concerned, this health care bill isn't going to do anything for at least four years anyway, so why can't we take and tweak it now and make it better, instead of pushing it through and pushing it through and then what we get is nothing for four years anyway 1234 >> wayne in texas, democrats line. >> yes. it's the misinformation that i hear. i'm 66. i'm able to sit home and watch c-span. i'm able to go online and look for things. i'm able to watch different viewpoints and i'm able to check them out. the last caller just said there was nothing going to happen. and the things that happen

immediately is no cap on the health insurance, that you don't have the pre-existing conditions. those are massive things for people that are -- what people don't understand is that there are an awful lot of people out of work. and when you lose your job, you lose your health insurance. and if you're still able to pay for it, it's a massive amount. i have people around me here that have lost their insurance but are still listening to one show. and they talk about illegals getting insurance being much more important than the people dying. it just doesn't make any sense to me. thank you. >> continuing to take your calls on the democrats' decision to drop the "deem and pass" approach. to illinois. we're going to here from marge on the republicans line. >> yes, i'm 85 years old and i'm very concerned about the state of washington, really.

they're so corrupt. why don't they listen to the elder people and the republicans and take advice from them as to correct this health bill, and not just run our financial country up to nothing? i think it's ridiculous. and i do hope that that bill does not pass and they understand that there are other ways to get in health care other than what they are doing. thank you. >> on to judy in michigan, republicans line. >> yes. i'm glad that they did not -- that they voted to not vote the deem and pass, because that was just too far-fetched and ridiculous. i'm an american citizen. i have not had health care for eight years. and you know what? i still say that this is not the way to go. they need to vote no tomorrow, get rid of this bill and start over. >> why do you not have health care? >> why do i not have health care? because i can't afford it.

>> ok. on to alabama, and lynette on the democrats line. >> hello. i heard you say that the bill was available online? >> it is. >> can you tell me where to find it out? >> our website, c-span.org/healthcare. that's our health care hub. >> c-span.org/healthcare. we do have it on the screen now. >> thank you. >> and thanks for calling. valerie in michigan. independents line. >> hi. thanks for taking my call. i'm glad the deem and pass, that they're not going to go ahead and use that, they're going to have a straight up anddown vote. i don't agree with the bill that they're going to vote on tomorrow. they should start all over again. there are people in this country, like the previous caller, that do need medical health insurance. so thank you for taking my call. >> thanks for calling. nadene in michigan on the independents line. i'm sorry, nadene in maryland.

>> i just want to say i'm very disappointed that the democrats are allowing the misinformation to get out there about the deem and pass process. it has been used before, possibly not for something on this scale, but it has been used they say six tiles, and over 200 times on amendments. so i am very disappointed that the democrats are not out there to get in the front of this misinformation. and the last thing i would like to say is that all these republicans and independents and tea partyers like to talk for the american people. i'm an american person and i want health care forsch. and the fact that they are not -- for everybody. and the fact that they are not covering undocumented people, like 50 million people -- it's not because of the democrats, it's because of the republicans and the tea parties and

everybody accusing people of one thing to get people a free pass. so i am so fed up with the misinformation and i am very disappointed that the democrats can't get ahead of the republicans. but it will pass tomorrow and i'm glad for that. thank you for taking my call. >> krista in texas, democrats line. >> hi. thank you for taking my call. i just wanted to say thank you, obama, and way to go. >> he did exactly what he said he would do. he said he would change and make change in our government, in our health care. and this bill is very important and it's got to go through. a year ago i didn't have health care coverage because i made too much money for our state medicaid. and within the last year i finally became eligible. it's a new program that i'm eligible for now, and that wasn't there before. and this bill is very important to a lot of people that are unemployed and are just -- you know, that are poverty level, that have income, but can't

afford real insurance. but now they're eligible for the state medicaid program. it's really important that this bill passes. if >> on to deafed in georgia on the democrats -- david in georgia on the democrats line. >> yes, i hope they pass this health care issue. because obama's worked hard for it. i'm a retired railroader, and i have good insurance. i've got medicare a and b. it's my wife that doesn't have the good insurance and she has to pay every month quite a bit of money. so let's work to get this thing passed. you know, if they can't pass it, then let's have the same thing that the senators and everybody else has got up there in washington. i believe we'd say that first time we already would have had that passed. and thank you, and let's keep fighting for obama. he needs all the help he can get. thank you. >> we understand the president's motorcade has arrived. capitol any moment. we'll continue to take your

phone calls until the president arrives. until then, we'll go to sandy, who's in illinois on the democrats line. >> hi. thank you for taking my call. i think we, the people, deserve an up-and-down vote on this health care reform. and i applaud president obama for doing it. and i say, mr. president, ram it through. thank you. >> joe in tennessee, republican. >> i'm very disappointed in the whole setup. our founding fathers set up this country on the freedom of majority. we fought wars against this type of european health care, and they're ramming it down our throats. i think we need to stand back and listen to what the majority of the american people want. and it's not this plan. thank you. >> on to john in new york. he's calling on the independents line. >> hello? >> go ahead, john. turn your tv down, if you would, please. >> i just want to say that the

democrats don't need the deeming thing any more than we need the republican party as it stands. thank you. >> scott's calling from florida on the democrats line. >> yeah. am i on? >> you're on c-span. go ahead, sir. >> i was wondering. you said that you have the billion line? >> it is, on our website. >> yeah. is that the summary -- the 11-page summary, or is that the bill itself? >> that should be the complete bill. at our health care hub. c-span.org/healthcare. >> i thought that was just the 11-page summary. all right, thanks. >> thank you. thanks for calling. next, to roger. roger is calling from ohio. he's on the republican line. call. i've got a few quick things. i watch a lot of c-span. i think everyone in america should watch c-span and learn. they talk about 45,000 a year dying because they don't have

health insurance. it doesn't take effect for four years. so that's another 180,000 that will die. so 32 million that will be insured by this plan have to wait four years to get it. and the pre-existing condition for children is six months after the president signs it, but for adults it's four years. if they're going to do something that involves so many people in this country and insuring 32 million -- this is america, they should be covered -- it should take effect the minute he sets the pen down. >> the president arriving now at the capitol and about to address members of the house. live coverage on c-span.

[applause]

[applause] [applause]

>> congress will come to order. mr. president, majority leader reid, welcome to the president's caucus, america's caucus. [applause] madam speaker, while the body was waiting outside to bring the president in, i was informing our caucus that it didn't happen under speaker cannon, nor did it happen under speaker rayburn or mccormick. didn't happen under speaker

o'neal. but under speaker nancy pelosi, we are going to pass health care for the american people! [applause] the president of the united states, the speaker of the house, nancy pelosi. [applause] >> thank you all very much. thank you, john larsen. i received your kind words on behalf of all of our courageous members of the house of representatives who want the best for the american people. and what we can do that is best for them in the next 24 hours is to pass affordable, accessible health care for all americans. [applause]

the best for all americans is to have 32 million more people to have health insurance in our country. the best for our country is to have $1.3 trillion in deficit reduction, so we're not amassing mountains of debt. the best for our country is to hold the insurance companies accountable and not let them come between patients and their doctors. [applause] we are on the verge of making great history for the american people, and in doing so, we will make great progress for them as well. the president has said over and over, we will measure our own success on the progress that has been made by america's working families. that is our responsibility and we will honor it when we vote on health care reform. we would not be here, mr. president, without the courage of my colleagues here that have

fought this fight. they have understood the issues. they have brought great exuberance to the debate. this will be about wellness and prevention and innovation as well as reducing our deficit and making america healthier. and we certainly would not be here, mr. president, without your inspiration, without your leadership, without your fresh thinking on the subject, and we thank you for that leadership. [applause] it is now my privilege to introduce my friend, a great leader of the united states senate, a man who understands also how important this issue is, an issue that has hit home for him very closely very recently. he has said at the time of his wife's accident that even made him further aware of why we

must pass this bill, because it is so important for all americans to have the same access that she has. but to watch him on a day-to-day basis is to see a master at work, an understanding of the issues, a dedication to the values, a vision for america and a knowledge of the procedures. i'm very, very pleased to thank him for what he has done to bring us to this point and to introduce to you my colleagues, the great democratic leader of the united states senate, harry reid. [applause] >> one of the joys of my life

has been my friendship, my partnership, with the greatest speaker the house of representatives has ever had, nancy pelosi. [applause] we spent the last year discussing, debating and drafting and redrafting. this is no longer a question of whether our health care reform system is necessary, it's no longer a question of whether this is an enormous, positive step in the right direction. with the lives and livelihoods of millions on the line, the question is whether senators and congressmen will choose to stand on the side of the american people or with the insurance industry responsible for this crisis. it's about whether you will fight for the insurance companies' profits or for the families' peace of mind. the question is whether you want to raise health care costs

and the deficit or whether you want to lower health care costs and the deficit, and whether you want to pretend this is about senate procedure or admit it is about struggling people, the question is whether you want to protect our broken healthcare system or fix it. the most sweeping changes to americans' health care will be law in a matter of days. we need a simple majority to make the good law even better. so i'm happy to announce i have the commitment of significant majority of the united states senate to make that good law even better. [applause]

our great country has needed health reform for generations. this country has been focused on it for the entire past year. history will show it will be one of the most important years in our history, ending with one the most historic achievements congress has ever produced. mr. president, you've asked us to send you a bill that will improve the health of millions of americans and the health of our economy. we're going to do that. [applause] mr. president, i know you know basketball. you're a big fan. i know many are fixated on the national college basketball tournament going on now. so, mr. president, we're in the last minute of play. the shot clock is turned off. the other side knows what the outcome will be, so they're trying to foul us and foul us

and foul us and foul us again just to keep the clock from reading zer row. -- zero. they're not just delaying the inevitable, they're delaying the imperative. every time they foul, we'll keep hitting our shots. we'll overcome every obstacle they throw in our way, just as we have for the past year. and soon, when the buzzer finally sounds, there will be a clear winner. that winner will be the american people. [applause] >> in the house of representatives, there is no one who has mastered the floor as well as steny hoyer. [applause]

there's also nobody who reaches out across the aisle and is respected and works hard every day to try to encourage our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join with us in this historic vote. but what he works hardest on is what he calls the psychology of consensus. and he and nancy pelosi together have created that and have created the greatest caucus ever assembled in the history of this country, the democratic caucus and its majority leader, sten yoi hoyer! plause -- hoyer! [applause] >> thank you very much. apparently, however, not the most humble. mr. president, welcome. we're pleased to have you here.

senate majority leader harry reid, little did you and i realize when you were a capitol cop and i was working down in the basement of the russell building that we would be on this stage with president obama. >> i had a good job. >> he had a good job, he said. [laughter] and, of course, in that office in which i worked there was a young lady who also worked there. her name was nancy. and this was pre-paul wedding. not necessarily pre-paul, but pre-paul wedding. and little did we realize, nancy, that you and i would be here at this historic time, to participate with our colleagues in this extraordinary effort. america is watching us. some would say this is a partisan effort. they're wrong. this is an effort on behalf of all americans. george w. bush in 2002 said and i quote, "all americans should be able to choose a health care plan that meets their needs at

affordable prices." bill clinton said the time has come together to pull together to work in a bipartisan matter to deliver affordable health care coverage to all americans. j.h.w. bush in 1992 said, "a universal, comprehensive, national health insurance program is one of the major unfinished items on america's social agenda. the american people," he said in 1992," have waited too long." jeryl ford in 1974 said, "let us affirm that this national legislation is only the beginning of our effort to upgrade and perpetuate this part of our total healthcare system so no individual in this country, said president ford, will lack help whenever or wherever he needs it. " john f. kennedy said in 1962, "whenever the miracles of modern medicine are beyond the reach of many groups of

americans, for whatever reasons, economic, geographic, occupational or other, we must find a way to meet their needs and fulfill their hopes." gritedwithe david eisenhower in 1955 said, "clearly our nation must do more to reduce accident and disease. two fundamental problems confront us. first, high and ever-rising costs of health services. second, serious gaps and shortages in those services." so said dwight eisenhower in 1955. and in 1945, harry truman said, "millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health." the time, he said, has arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and that protection. and then another president said this -- "comprehensive health insurance is an idea whose time

has come in america. there has long been a need to assure every american financial access to high quality health care. as medical costs go up, that need grows more pressing. now, for the first time, this president said, we have not just the need, but the will to get this job done." he went on to say, "there is widespread support in the nation for some type of comprehensive health insurance. here is just to act sensibly." indeed, let us act now, in 1974, to assure all americans access to high-quality medical care. our president talks about the fact that theodore roosevelt put this on america's agenda over a century ago. barack obama went to the people of this country and reached out

to them and said, "if you elect me president of the united states, this is what i will do." there was no illusions of what he would do. there was no trying to hide it. it was transparent, and indeed, in the debate in october of 2008 he said exactly what he was going to do. and john mccain stood on that same stage and said, yes, i believe every american ought to have access to affordable health care. all the presidents i just quoted tried to get something done, and it was not done. on sunday, tomorrow, we will do it. [applause] led by our president, who said to the american public, "this

is our moment." ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states, barack obama. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you. thank you, everybody. [cheers and applause] thank you. thank you very much. thank you. everybody, please have a seat. to leader reid, to steny hoyer, john larsen, jim clyburn, chris van hollen, to an extraordinary

leader, an extraordinary speaker of the house, nancy pelosi, and to all the members here today, thank you very much for having us. [applause] thanks for having me and thanks for your tireless efforts waged on behalf of health insurance reform in this country. you know, i have the great pleasure of having a really nice library at the white house, and i was tooling through some of the writings of some previous presidents, and i came upon this quote by abraham lincoln. "i am not bound to win, but i'm bound to be true. i'm not bound to succeed, but i'm bound to live up to what life i have. " this debate has been a

difficult debate. this process has been a difficult process. and this year has been a difficult year for the american people. when i was sworn in we were in the midst of the worst recession since the great depression. 800,000 people per month were losing their jobs. millions of people were losing their health insurance. and the financial system was on the verge of collapse. and this body has taken on some of the toughest votes and some of the toughest decisions in the history of congress. not because you were bound to win, but because you were bound to be true.

because each and every one of you made a decision that at a moment of such urgency it was less important to measure what the polls said than to measure what was right. now, a year later we're in different circumstances. because of the action that is you've taken, the financial system has stabilized. the stock market has stabilized. businesses are starting to invest again. the economy, instead of contracting, is now growing again. there are signs that people are going to start hiring again. there's still tremendous hardship all across the country, but there is a sense that we are making progress. because of you. but even before this crisis,

each and every one of us knew that there were millions of people across america who were living their own quiet crises. maybe because they had a child who had a pre-existing condition, and no matter how desperate they were, no matter what insurance company they called, they couldn't get coverage for that child. maybe it was somebody who had been forced into early retirement in their 50's, not yet eligible for medicare. and they couldn't find a job and they couldn't find health insurance, despite the fact that they had some sort of chronic condition that had to be tended to. every single one of you at some point before you arrived in congress and after you arrived in congress have met constituents with heartbreaking stories. and you've looked them in the eye and you've said we're going

to do something about it. that's why i want to go to congress. and now we're on the threshold of doing something about it. we're a day away. after a year of debate, after every argument has been made by just about everybody, we're 24 hours away. now, some of you know i'm not somebody who spends a lot of time surfing the cable channels, but i'm not completely in the bubble. i have a sense of what the coverage has been, and mostly it's an obsession with what will this mean for the democratic party. what will this mean for the president's polls? how will this play out in november? is this good or is this bad for the democratic majority?

what does it mean for those swing votes? and i notice that there's been a lot of friendly advice offered all across town. [laughter] mitch mcconnell, john boehner, karl rove, they're all warning you of the horned us impact if you -- horrendous impact if you support this legislation. now, it could be that they are suddenly having a change of heart and they are deeply concerned about their democratic friends. [laughter] . .

who currently do not have it. [applause] because of this year, those same parents who were worried about coverage for their children with pre-existing conditions are assured that health insurance companies have to give them coverage this year. [applause] this year, insurance companies will not be able to drop your coverage when you get sick or impose lifetime limits or

restrictive limits on the coverage you had. maybe they know that this year, for the first time, young people will be able to stay on their parents' health insurance until they're 26 years old. they are thinking that just might be popular all across the country. [applause] what they also know is what won't happen. they know that after this legislation passes, and after i signed this bill, lo and behold, nobody is pulling the plug on granny. [laughter] if it turns out that, in fact, people who like their health insurance are going to be able to keep their health insurance, but there is no government takeover. people will discover that if they like their doctor, there will be keeping their doctor.

they are more likely to keep their doctor. it will turn out that this piece of historic legislation is built on the private insurance system that we have now and runs straight down the center of american political thought. it turns out, this is a bill that tracks the recommendation not just of democrat tom that shall -- daschel, but also republicans like howard baker. this is a middle of the road a bill that is designed to help the american people in an area of their lives where they urgently need help. there are some who wanted a single payer, government-run system. that is not this bill.

the republicans wanted the "foxes guard the henhouse" approach. weedy regulate the insurance companies and let them run wild, the notion being that that would somehow lower costs for the american people. i don't know what serious health care economists bought into that idea, but we rejected that. we want to create a system in which health care is working not for insurance companies, but working for the american people. it is working for middle-class families. what did we do? what is the essence of this legislation? number one, this is the toughest insurance reforms in history. [applause] we are making sure that the system of private insurance

works for ordinary families. this is a patient's bill of rights on steroids. so many of you have worked on these insurance reforms. they are in this package to make sure that families are getting a fair deal, that they are paying a premium, they are getting a good service in return, making sure that employers, if they are paying premiums, their employees are getting the coverage that they expect, that insurance companies will not gain the system with fine print and decisions and dropping people when they need it most, but instead are going to have to abide by some basic rules of the road that exemplify a sense of fairness and good values. that is number one. the second thing this does is it creates a pool, a marketplace

where individuals and small businesses, who right now are having a terrible time out there getting insurance, are going to be able to purchase health insurance as part of a big group, just like federal employees, just like members of congress. they are now going to be part of a pool that can negotiate for better rates, but quality, more competition -- better quality, more competition. this will lower people's rates for comparable plans by 14% up to 20%. that those -- that is not my number. that is the congressional budget office numbers. people will have choice and competition just like members of congress have a choice and competition. number three, if people still cannot afford it, we will provide them tax breaks. the biggest tax cut for small businesses and working families

when it comes to health care in history. [applause] number four, this is the biggest reduction in our deficit since the budget balanced act rigid budget balancing act, over $1.30 trillion. it will help put us on a path of fiscal responsibility. [applause] that is before we count all of the game-changing measures that will ensure that, for example, instead of having five tests when you go to the doctor, you just get one, that the delivery system is working for patients, not just for billings. everyone who has looked at it has said that every single good idea to bend the cost curve and reduce health care costs are in this bill. that is what this effort is all

about, toughest insurance reforms in history, a marketplace where people have choice and competition who right now don't have it and see their premiums go up 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%. reductions in the cost of health care for millions of american families, including those who have insurance. the business roundtable did a study and said this would potentially save employers $3,000 per employee on their health care because of the measures in this legislation. by the way, not only does it reduce the deficit, we pay for it responsibly in ways that the other side of the aisle that talk a lot about fiscal responsibility but does not seem able to walk the walk cannot claim when it comes to their prescription drug bill. we are actually doing it.

this is paid for and will not add a dime to the deficit. it will reduce the deficit. [applause] now, is this bill perfect? of course not. will this solve every problem in our system right away? no. there are all kinds of ideas that many of you have that are not included in this legislation. i know there has been discussion of how we are going to deal with regional disparities. i know there was a meeting with secretary sebelius to make sure we have a system that gives people the best bang for their buck. [applause] so, this is not -- there are all kinds of things that many of you would like to see that is not in

this legislation. there are some things i would like to see that is not in this legislation. but, is this the single most important step that we have taken on health care since medicare? absolutely. is this the most important piece of domestic legislation in terms of giving a break to hard- working middle-class families out there since medicare? absolutely. is this a vast improvement over the status quo? absolutely. now, i still know this is a tough vote, though. i know this is a tough vote. i have talked to many of you individually. i have to say that if you

honestly believe in your heart of hearts, in your conscience, that this is not an improvement over the status quo, if, despite all the information that is out there that says that without serious reform efforts like this one, people's premiums are going to double over the next five or 10 years, that folks will keep on getting letters from insurance companies saying their premium just went up 40% or 50%, if you think that it is ok that we have millions of hard-working americans who cannot get health care, and that it is alright and acceptable in the wealthiest nation on earth that there are children with chronic illnesses that cannot get the care they need, if you think this system is working for ordinary americans, rather than the insurance companies, you should vote no on this bill.

if you can honestly say that, you should not support it. you are here to represent your constituencies. if you think your constituencies honestly would not be helped, you should not vote for this. but, if you agree that the system is not working for ordinary families, if you have heard the same stories that i have heard, everywhere, all across the country, then help us fix this system. don't do it for me. don't do it for nancy pelosi or harry reid. do it for all of those people out there who are struggling. some of you know i get 10 letters per day that i read come out of the 40,000 we receive. i started reading some of the ones i got this morning. "dear president obama, my daughter lost her job. she has no health insurance.

she has a blood clot in her brain. she is disabled and cannot get care. dear president obama, i don't yet qualify for medicare, cobra is about to run out, i am desperate and don't know what to do." do it for them. do it for people who are really scared right now, through no fault of the rhone, who played by the rules, who did all the right things, and suddenly found out that, because of an accident, because of an ailment, they are about to lose their house, or they cannot provide the help to the kids that they need, or they are small-business who has always taken pride in providing care for their workers, and it turns out they cannot afford to do it anymore, and they have to make a decision, do i keep providing health insurance for my workers, or do i drop their coverage, or

do why not hire some people because i simply cannot afford it, it is all being gobbled up by the insurance companies. don't do it for me. don't do it for the democratic party. do it for the american people. they are the ones who are looking for action right now. [applause] i know this is a tough vote. i am actually confident -- i have talked to some of you individually -- that it will end up being the smart thing to do politically. i believe that good policy is good politics. [applause] i am convinced that when you go out there and you are standing tall and you are saying, i believe that this is the right thing to do for my constituents

and america, that ultimately, the truth will come out. i had a wonderful conversation with bessie. i don't know if she is around here. the biggest newspaper is somewhat conservative, as she describes. they were not happy with reform. they were opposed to it. betsy, despite the pressure, announced she was in favor of this bill. lo and behold, the next day, that same newspaper runs an editorial saying, you know what? we have considered this. we have looked at the legislation. we actually are pleased that the congresswoman is supporting the legislation. [applause]

[cheers and applause] when i see a man stand up, proud, with a whole bunch of his constituents, in as tough a district as there is, and stand up with a bunch of folks from his district with pre-existing conditions, and saying, i don't know what is going on in the washington, but i know what is going on with these families, i

look at him with pride. now, i cannot guarantee that this is good politics. every one of you knows your district better than i do. you talk to folks. you are under enormous pressure. you are getting robo calls. you're getting e-mails that tie up the communication system. i don't pressure you on it. i have had a few comments made about me. i don't know if you have noticed. [laughter] i have been in your shoes. i know what it is like to take a tough wrvote. what did lincoln say? "i am not bound to win, but i am bound to be true." two generations ago, folks were sitting in your position. they made a decision.

we will make sure that seniors and the poor have health care coverage that they can count on. they did the right thing. i am sure at that time there were making that vote, they were not sure how the politics were coming either, anymore than the people who made the decision to make sure that social security was in place knew how the politics would play out, or folks who passed the civil rights act new how politics were going to play out. they were not bound to win, but they were bound to be true. now, we have got middle-class americans who don't have medicare, don't have medicaid, watching the employer-based system fray along the edges, or being caught in terrible situations. the question is, are we going to

be true to them? sometimes, i think about how i got involved in politics. i didn't think of myself as a potential politician when i got out of college. i went to work in neighborhoods, working with catholic churches in poor neighborhoods in chicago, trying to figure out how people could get a little bit of help. i was skeptical about politics and politicians, like many americans are skeptical about politics and politicians now. my working assumption was, when push comes to shove, all too often, folks in office are looking out for themselves and not looking out for the folks who put them there. there are too many compromises. the special interests have too much power. they have just got too much clout. there is too much big money washing around.

i decided, finally, to get involved because i realized if i was not the one to step up and be true to the things i believe in, the system would not change. every single one of you has that same kind of moment at the beginning of your careers. maybe it was just listening to stories in your neighborhood about what was happening to people who had been laid off work. maybe it was your own family experience. somebody got sick and did not have health care. you said, something should change. something inspired you to get involved. something inspired you to be a democrat instead of running as a republican. somewhere, in your heart, you said to yourself, i believe in an america in which we don't just look out for ourselves. we don't just tell people, you are on your own.

we are proud of our individualism. we're proud of our liberty. we also have a sense of neighborliness and community. we are willing to look out for one another and help people who are vulnerable, and help people down on their luck, and give them a pathway to success, and give them a ladder into the middle class. that is why you decided to run. [applause] now, a lot of us have been here a while. everybody here has taken their losses and their bruises. it turns out people had to make compromises. you have been away from families for a long time. you have missed special events

for your kids sometimes. maybe there have been times where you ask yourself, why did i ever get involved in politics in the first place? maybe things cannot change, after all. when you do something courageous, it turns out, sometimes you may be attacked. sometimes, the very people you thought you were trying to help might be angry at you. they shout at you. you say to yourself, maybe that thing that i started with has been lost. you know what? every once in awhile, every once in awhile, a moment comes when you have a chance to vindicate all those best hopes that you pat about yourself, about this

country, where you have a chance to make good on those promises that you made in all those town meetings and all those constituency breakfasts and all that traveling through the district, all those people who you look in the eye and said, you know what, you are right. the system is not working for you. i will make it a little bit better. this is one of those moments. this is one of those times where you can honestly say to yourself, and doggone it, this is exactly why i came here. this is why i got into politics. this is why i got into public service. this is why i have made those sacrifices, because i believe so deeply in this country. i believe so deeply in this democracy. i am willing to stand up, even when it is hard.

even when it is tough. everyone of you has made that promise, not just to your constituents, but to yourself. this is the time to make true on that promise. we are not bound to win, but we are bound to be true. we are not bound to succeed, but we are bound to let whatever light we have shine. we have been debating health care for decades. it has now been debated for a year. it is in your hands. it is time to pass health care reform for america, and i am confident that you are going to do it tomorrow. thank you very much, house of representatives. let's get this done.

[cheers and applause] [applause] thank you, everybody. this was fun. fired up? fired up? [applause]

>> before we adjourn the caucus, and walleye have your rapt attention, first of all, the whip reminds me, and let's hear it for the whip, jim cliburn, the most important announcement for tomorrow is going to be -- [no audio] >> president obama wrapping up his meeting with house democrats this afternoon. that vote on health care in the house expected sometime tomorrow. we will have live coverage of all the action in the house hear on c-span. that vote is expected tomorrow afternoon. democrats did decide to drop the dean and passed proposition that would have potentially passed the senate bill. there will be a separate vote on the senate bill. we are standing by.

we have a camera and microphone setup in case some members of the house to decide to make comments. we do understand that harry reid, the majority leader of the senate, is expected to come to take questions from reporters. we will have you -- have that for you hear on c-span. house rules committee continuing to meet this afternoon, crafting the rules for debating health care tomorrow. you can see that committee meeting on our companion network, c-span2. standing by with us is julie robner from national public radio. are you with us? are you with us? i think we do have her. julie? >> hello?

>> we want to let you know we are standing by and waiting for members to come to the cameras. we might get interrupted. there has been a development in the house democrats' plan for considering health care legislation tomorrow. what happened? >> they were going to use this procedure that they call deem and pass, or self-executing role, so there would not have to take a direct vote. house members do not like that senate bill and the things that are in at. they got a ruling from the senate parliamentarian that said they could vote on the senate bill after they vote on the budget reconciliation bill, which has the changes to the senate bill. that would make it much easier for them to vote on the senate bill, if they could vote on changes first. they will not do that self- executing role. they will go ahead. there'll be three votes. the first will be on the role, the second will be on the reconciliation bill, and the third will be on the senate

bill. that will take away a big line of argument from the republicans, that doing that self-executing rule was an abuse of the process. republicans and democrats have done it many times. the argument was it has never been done on a bill this big or momentous. that is true. there has not been a bill this significant for many years. i think it makes it easier for them to get the votes. it takes away the argument. now the parliamentarians said it is ok to vote on the changes before you vote on the bill, they will do it that with. >> are we saying that that prompted the change in strategy? >> it was the ruling from the parliamentarians that prompted the change of strategy. they were getting an awful lot of push back, sometimes from their own members. democrats were saying they did not want to do the process that way. they wanted to have this straight, up or down, clean vote. an awful lot of members did not

want to vote on that senate bill. >> is this an indication that democratic leaders are confident they have the votes to pass the bills? >> that would seem to be the case. house majority leader hoyer came out -- until now, they're saying they will have the votes when they take the vote. for the first time, the majority leader said, we're confident we have the votes. it certainly would seem that they certainly think they have the votes. i think being able to structure the vote that way does make it easier for members to vote on that bill, because they will have already voted on the changes they want to make. >> what is the latest on the talks with abortion opponents? >> those talks have broken down. it would seem that they don't need the votes of those abortion opponents. there are many abortion opponents who have said they will vote for the bill. the senate bill also has abortion restrictions.

that senate bill has been endorsed by a lot of abortion opponents, the catholic health association, 50,000 nuns. a number of abortion opponents say the senate bill does prohibit federal abortion funding. it is not clear how many abortion opponents will not vote for the senate bill because it is not strong enough on abortion. it might only be a handful. the house can lose up to 37 democrats and still have enough votes to get the bill passed. it is not clear that they need that block of votes. there was still talk that the president might issue in executive order to clarify that there would be no federal funding for abortion. some of the abortion-rights democrats said that would be ok, because they believe the senate bill already does that. they would not mind of the president did that. that would be a compromise they could live with. i talked to some of the people working with congressman's

stupak of michigan. there will be no separate vote for stronger abortion restrictions, but there might be some discussion. >> when -- what will you be tracking most closely? >> it looks like most of the things that were hanging out as big issues, there was an issue about geographic disparities. that has been taken care of. this abortion issue, those were the big ones. to see if anything else players up, we will be interested to see if the democrats -- republicans might try delaying tactics. they might. you have got to make sure everybody shows up. it is always an issue of people getting here and voting. it is never over until it is over. there might be last-minute issues that show up.

at this point, it would appear the democrats likely have the votes for this to prevail. >> julie rovner, thanks for joining us. phone calls are open. the phone lines are open. we are taking your calls as we wait. house members will make remarks on some of the president's comments this afternoon. the first call is john, who is in tennessee, on the democrats' line. >> ok. i appreciate it. it looks like it is going the direction it ought to go, as far as we are concerned. thank you so much. >> freddie in florida, republican. >> yes, sir. i am proud that we won and to be an american.

they may push this bill through, but take out that they won't kill these little kids. stop killing those kids. one of those kids might be in your place up there. they might be in your shoes. please, stop killing these babies. put those doctors in jail, because they are killers, as far as i am concerned. they put that the guy in jail a few years ago that was helping people die. take these doctors and do the same thing. put them in jail and pass this bill. my age is 83. they don't have a chance of me having any more kids, but can have grandchildren and great- grandchildren. let me have them. >> on to gloria in the bronx,

democrats line. >> hello. thanks for taking my call. i am appalled at the way these republicans are doing the democrats. these poor republicans are fooled by what these rich republicans are telling them. it is amazing that these poor republicans cannot see what is happening. they would rather not have health care, just to spite the president. it is a darn shame. thank you very much. >> stephen in iowa on the democrats' line. >> i have had two kidney transplants, the first one in 1973, then 2004. i had another live donor -- both of them were live donors. three hip replacements. i have a bad heart. i am on disability, and yes, i need insurance. i cannot get it. my wife lost her job, and we have lost our insurance. we have a poor system now. i have had to turn down doctor

appointments, hospital visits. i also have numerous types of skin cancers. i want to see this bill passed. i will not beg for it, but the people of the united states need it. thanks. >> anna on the independent line. >> hello? >> go ahead. >> i am not actually in the city. i am in a community hospital in southwestern pennsylvania. i am in tim murphy's area. i spoke to him when we went on the pro-life march. i am pro-life and pro-health care. i have not had a chance to read the bill, but from what i am

hearing, anything is better than what we have. i have an 86-year-old mother. i am taking care of her 24/7. i am concerned about preventive health care for me, my children, for my husband. there is a whole world of health care out there outside of what western medicine offers us. i would like to see some of the options that have worked in other countries available to us. insurance companies offer an upper -- an opportunity to take advantage of some of those things. i think some of the research -- we need an opportunity to get more preventive health care. what we have been doing has not been enough. i would like to see some changes. i see their peak -- patients that need care.

i am going to go, but thank you very much for this bill. i really hope that it goes through. the issue on abortion, i realize that there needs to be some prayer for president obama. he needs to recognize that the partial-birth abortion is a san and a crime -- a sin and a crime, but i know he cares about the people and wants health care for but it. >> the next call is arizona, jan on the republican line. >> i am looking at all of this that was going on today and it amazes me that the democrats that call in talk about how dumb the republicans are. i am a small-business owner. i can hardly keep my doors open. there is one more issue that we have to deal with. they could have done this different. they did not -- they did not mandate that a person had to

have health care. i listen to these people go on and on. we work hard. we don't take vacations. we don't go on -- it is amazing. some person thinks they need to mandated to have insurance and i have to be mandated to pay for it. that is what is wrong between the democrats and republicans. i will give you an example. the schools and everything, look at maxine waters and her district in california. she keeps going down because it is more freebies. keep the people where they are begging for you. this is a big deal. this is 1/6 of our economy. when we cannot print money any more and get more money from china, who will pay for this? it has not taken the price down. it is just making more money from the government. we are out of money. the democrats, especially the people that want everything handed to them -- the other thing was, i have never heard so

many independents say they are independent, and this is the first day they have not started in to george bush. you should take the independent line off your air. there is no such thing. we begged harry mitchell for months. he finally puts a little thing out in the middle of the night. nancy pelosi, be able to fly in the plane. the president has had the whole -- that is what he does, fly around. how many trips has he taken? give that money to the people. >> thanks for all of your calls. the house is in recess. democratic members could attend that meeting that you just saw with the president. they are done voting for the day, but when they return, we expect debate on several bills, including one recognizing the anniversary of the battle of iwo

jima. we rate -- we await the rules committee to adopt for procedures for the health care bill, beginning tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. eastern. you can watch all of that here live on c-span. house republican leaders met earlier on capitol hill to discuss this weekend's expected vote. cameras were allowed for the first few minutes of the meeting. we will hear from mike pence. this is about 15 minutes. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> i would like to welcome everybody to the special saturday session. i would like to welcome members who are joining us that the house republican conference for the first time ever. you are most welcome here. let me make a couple of housekeeping announcements, and the chair will bring a few thoughts, the leader will bring

a few thoughts, and we will ask members of the media to depart and we will talk of -- we will talk about details for the weekend. on the personal and deep hillside, kudos to congressman randy forbes. the house of representatives is scheduled to be in arrears sunday schedule -- sunday session. many members, with randy, are inviting members, their spouses, and staff to assemble in statuary hall at 11:00 a.m. for a sunday worship service. capital. -- worship service here at the capitol. congress approved the use of the building as a church. it is the largest church in washington with 2000 people attending weekly. the speaker has invited us to be

in the capital on sunday. we will establish a new tradition. we appreciate your leadership on that. you have your house republican on your chairs. just a few thoughts about this moment. we really are gathered here at a historic time in the life of this country. i don't believe it is a historic time the way they think it is. we know what the other side wants, to respond to the challenges of health care in this country. more government, more taxes, more mandates, public funding of abortion, more bureaucracy. house republicans know the american people want to face the challenges in health care with

more freedom and not more government. [applause] think about how far you have come in the last year. because of the stance that everyone of you have taken, from the stimulus bill, to the budget bill, to the cap and tax, to this health care battle, up to this moment, you have taken a stand not just for fiscal responsibility and reform, but you have taken a stand for the american people. if evidence needs to be found, you could have looked up -- looked at the west side of the capital today. republicans are on the side of the american people in this fight. [applause] the american people do not want a government takeover of health care. it is incumbent on republicans

to take a stand for the american people and the will of the congress, and on the airwaves of this country, and with our constituents in the remaining hours of this debate. we need to remind the american people of all the aspects of this bill, of which they may not yet be aware. the bureaucracy, the taxes, the mandates, and a fundamental departure from the notions of personal responsibility, and limited government. we also need to remind people here in washington, d.c., this is not the president's house. this is not the speaker's house. this is not our house. this is the people's house. mr. president and ms. pelosi, the american people don't want a government takeover of health care. house republicans will battle. [applause] i am proud of this whole team.

i am proud of the effort you have made. our challenge is to finish strong, to be confident, to know that we can win this fight if we will rise to the challenge, run through the tape. i don't know, quite frankly, whether victory will be on the third sunday in march or on the first tuesday in november, but victory will come. [applause] with that come and join in welcoming the republican whip, erick kanter -- eric cantor. >> thank you. [applause] >> ok. lots of drama today. lots of festivities outside, because people are angry. we know that.

if you look at it, the clock, the yearlong clock on this debate might be winding to a close with in the last 24 to 30 hours. we still have work to do. folks in here are not usually in our conference, and their focus has been on the group of members of the -- on the group of members on this side of the aisle. every breath they take is being researched. i know everyone is trying to predict which way they go. what i can tell you is they are standing firm on the principle that our government taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund abortion. [applause]

so, the story that is not being written, though, is where our work comes in. we have seen, over the last several days and weeks, about seven announcements of members on the other side of the aisle who have switched from an original "no" back when the house took its vote, to now a "yes." the those were not surprises to us. we have got to focus on making sure there are no surprises. we have two groups. we have one group of members on the other side, the 30 or so democrats that are "no" votes that are still left. unless the democrats want to dispute the characterization of their position, it is a fact they are against this bill.

here are a few that i think we ought to focus on, and may even ask the question, are they still a "no"? not only will we be trying to work with them, but their constituents are watching. they are john adler of new jersey, brian barrett of washington, rick voucher of virginia, michael mcmahon of new york, glenn 9 of virginia, colin peterson of minnesota, and john tanner of tennessee. those were all the "no" votes that we need to continue to encourage them to stand up for their constituents. now, the second group right now is the group that voted yes before, but which we know, given where their constituents are, may very well want to come and

join us. there has been a lot of press reports. we still have no real definition or affirmation of their vote. bill foster of illinois, debbie difference of arizona, stephen lynch, we have to make sure he comes the way we need him to come to stand up for this country, exact space of ohio. that is our universe we have got to focus on. the group is holding firm on principle. we have got to make sure that there are 38 "no" votes on the

other side to assure defeat on this bill. let's go get them. thank you. kuipe [applause] >> all right. sit down. 15 months ago, we began to outline what the party was going to look like in the future. we talked about standing on principle. we also said that if we had to oppose them, based on our principles, we would offer the american people a better

solution. if you have watched over the last 15 months, and all of you have, you have been there, we stood on principle. we brought our team together in opposition to the big government failed policies of this democratic congress and this administration. at the same time, we offer better solutions. when it comes to health care, we have the seven-hour obama infomercial. you all remember. it was a great opportunity for republicans to talk about what we thought were better solutions, to take a step-by- step approach for improving the quality of health care in bringing down the cost of health insurance in america, thereby making it more affordable for

more americans are team has been united day in and day out over these last 15 months. i want to say thanks to all of you who are here, for the work you have done and your willingness to work with colleagues and to stand on principle. i told you two weeks ago, we had to do everything that we could possibly do to make sure that this bill never becomes law. i did not want to be on the floor of the house on sunday night knowing that i could have done one more interview, or that i had done everything i could to try to stop the bill. let me tell you, you have all responded. i cannot say enough good words about our friends across the street who have done a marvelous job with code red.

it has been enlightening. town hall meetings and democrat district, who would have thought of that one? some of lower members participated in the rally last night in pittsburgh. all of you have pitched in. now, we are there. we are about 24 hours from armageddon. we're 24 hours from members casting a vote on one of the biggest bills they will ever vote for in their careers. we are right there. i asked the speaker yesterday, i aster to have a call of the house, so that every member, every man and woman would be required to stand before god, their countrymen, and their

constituents, and tell them how they were going to vote. [applause] [cheers and applause] so, we are almost there. there are 24 hours more left in the fight. this was not the time to think that we had done it all. this was not the time to think that nobody is paying attention on a saturday afternoon. there are tens of thousands of americans right out here on the capitol grounds. they are not giving up. we shouldn't, either.

republicans cannot win this fight. but, the american people can. [applause] what we need to do is we need to continue to engage the american people. we need to have every american talking to their representatives about how they feel about this bill. we need to continue to the radio shows. we need to do the tv appearances. go up there and get on the blogs. i know there are telephone town hall meetings in democratic districts today. i want to make sure we are doing everything we do to make sure this bill never, ever, ever becomes law. [applause] >> a short time ago, democratic

lawmakers made a decision to drop the "deem and pass" slaughter solution to get passage of the bill. this will mean a separate vote on the senate bill. tomorrow, when the house votes come it will be three separate votes, one on the role for debate, one on the reconciliation bill, and a separate vote on the senate health care bill that was passed. it will be under way tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. eastern. the house is back in. we you will go back to live coverage of the u.s. house. of the most violent and savage in the history of the marine corps. the marines, navy prevailed because as admiral nimetz commander of the pacific fleet said, uncommon valor was a common virtue. many of those men who won that victory are now gone. our memory of and tribute to their valor and devotion to duty remains. it is for that reason that we

recognize the 65th anniversary of the battle of iwo jima and commend all who served in it. i urge all members to support this most worthy bill. and i would reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from new york. mr. owens: i yield such time as he may consume to my friend and colleague and sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from iowa, mr. braley. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for such time as he might consume. mr. braley: i thank my colleague for yielding. madam speaker, the photograph to my immediate right is what most people think of when they think of the battle of iwo jima. it is the most famous photograph in the world. it was taken by joe rosen thal and taken while the second flag was raised on the mount. what most people don't know is the rest of the story behind that flag raising.

this is the photograph that was taken on the summit that is commonly referred to as the gunho and depicts the unit that was the first to raise the first flag. and one thing that's important about this photograph, you can actually see the faces of the marines who made that heroic sacrifice. you cannot see the faces of anybody in the joe rosenthal photograph and that was something that bothered joe rosenthal when he saw his photograph weeks after he took it. in the heat of the battle, that film was sent to be processed away from iwo jima and published and released in newspapers across the united states and instantly became the most popular symbol of the struggle in the pacific. now, this photograph is especially important to me because shown right here in this

photograph is a young man named harold keller, who is a corporal in the marine corps in my hometown of brooklyn, iowa. harold keller was an uncommon heroes that nobody knew anything about after he came home. but he was the second marine to reach the summit. he slept that night under the flag that was erected on top. and while he and his buddy chick robison, buzz bombs and mortars came in toward that flag, because it was the subject of great debate and competition between the americans and the japanese. . harold keller was remarkable for other things that happened in an island that was so small it was

less than 10 square miles and yet 30,000 japanese soldiers and 70,000 marines and navy corpsmen occupied that tiny isles during this incredibly intense struggle. when harold keller first landed on the beach on d-day, february 19, -- or excuse me, 1945, the first thing he did was save his commander officer, lieutenant harold wells, who stuck his head up above the sandy beach and would have had his head blown off had it not been for harold keller who pulled him down as a large piece of shrapnel soared right over where he had been. he also was friends with earnest "boots" thomas who was the marine who carried the first flag to the summit and was called down to go on national radio and talk about the historic moment when that flag was unfullered over the mount. when harold keller was walking up the mount with his unit he saw two stretchers being carried up to the summit and his comment

tells a lot about what they were facing, he told a friend of his, we'll probably need a hell of a lot more of them. he savenged the life of one of his colleagues, robert leader, who was later, after the flag was raised, wounded by mortar fire. harold keller came upon him, did a field dressing as he found him with his bowling laying outside his body, saved his life, sent him home where he became an art professor and gifted artist at the university of notre dame. these are things that are -- these are the stories behind the flag raising and why this is so important. another reason this photograph is important to me, as you look over the shoulders of these marines you can see the beach down below and you can see some of the landing craft. one of those landing crafts was lst-808 which dropped my father off on the beach in iwo jima,

the same day these flags were raised. and you can see lst-808 down below. my father was 17 years old, inspired bravely, he was 18 when he landed on iwo jima. he served in the corps artillery in the headquarters and service battery in the fourth 155th battalion which was commanded by colonel john letcher. and one of the things john letcher did is he wrote a book about his experience in the marine corps called "one marine's story" and this is how he described his first night on iwo jima at the corps artillery headquarters. i had been asleep for perhaps an hour when a shell burst, which seemed to be right outside the tent. it was followed in rapid succession by others. the shells were bursting in the air a few feet above the ground and were spraying fragments in

every direction. the command post area seemed to be their target and they were making a hit with every shell. most of our personnel were poorly dug in just as i was because mingled with the noise of the shell bursts i heard screams and cries of wounded men. i was trembling and found myself reciting the apostle's cede. 35 men were killed -- creed. 35 men were killed in my father's unit and wounded during that barrage and it was something that he carried with him every day of his life until he died 29 years ago. one of the things that we know about the people who served on iwo jima is that the ones who were fortunate enough to come home, like my father and harold keller, never considered themselves heroes. they considered the heroes their fallen comrades who were buried on that island in the third, fourth and fifth marine division

cemeteries and this photo, madam speaker, shows the lines of crosses and stars of david in the fifth marine division cemetery with the mount in the background. probably one of the most compelling cemetery dedications since the gettysburg address was delivered by rabbi gillson at the dedication of the fifth marine division cemetery. and i want you to listen to his powerful words which we should hear today just as powerfully as when he delivered them. here's what he said about these fallen comrades, our poor power of speech can add nothing to what these men have already done. all that we can even hope to do is follow their example, to show the same selfless courage in peace that they did in war. these men have done their jobs well, they paid the ghastly price of freedom. we dedicate ourselves first to live together in peace the way they fought and are buried in

this war. here lie officers and men, negros and whites, rich men and poor together. here no man prefers another because of his faith or despises him because of his color. here there are no quotas of how many from each group are admitted or allowed. among these men there is no discrimination, no prejudices, no hatred. theirs is the highest and purest democracy. madam speaker, these are the reasons why we gather here today to honor this historic battle, to remember the sacrifice of the most severe battle in marine corps history, where all one quarter of the metals of -- medals of honor were awarded in world war ii during this one battle and that's why i urge my colleagues to support this resolution and remember, we must never forget. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman yields back. the gentleman from colorado. >> thank you, madam speaker. i just want to thank my colleague and friend from iowa again for bringing this resolution. i had the great privilege of standing on iwo jima a year ago, when some of us on the armed services committee were going to review the marine transfer that may take place to guam. and the whole island is sacred territory. we were able to bring back samples of the black volcanic sand from the beach right below the mount. i have that in my office. and we stood on the top of the mount, there's a wonderful memorial there right now. and it's very touching and very moving for all the reasons that representative braley has highlighted. so thank you again for bringing this resolution and i urge all of my colleagues to support it. at this point i would yield back, reserving the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new york. >> i continue to reserve the

balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: madam speaker, at this point i would like to yield one minute to the gentleman from california, representative herger. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. mr. herger: madam speaker, the american people could not be more clear, they want to fix the problems with our health care system but they do not want the democrats' government takeover of health care. it's time to stop the backroom deals and bring transparency to this debate. on a bill that rewrites 1/6 of our economy, adds $1 trillion to the federal budget and affects every american's health care, members of congress should stand up and be counted. i call on speaker pelosi to grant republicans' request for a

call of the house so americans can watch at home and can see and hear how their representative is voting. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from new york. >> we continue to reserve the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from colorado. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: thank you, madam speaker. at this point i would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from indiana, mr. buyer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for such time as he might consume. mr. buyer: i'd like to thank both parties for recognizing the uncommon virtue of valor and it didn't occur just at iwo jima, it occurred in many battlefields and lonely places all over the

world. and these are military values and virtues which are passed from one generation to the next. they are memorialized and we've done that here in the nation's capital by arlington by that extraordinary photo that was then transformed into that statue. the art of man is able to construct monuments and awards that are far more significant than the narrow span of our own existence. it's the silent lapse of time that displays how frail and how fallible we are as a people. so it truly is what we do with the time that we have that matters most. so those of us of whom have had the privilege to wear the uniform and fight our nation's wars and to serve on foreign soil, i can tell you having done that that it is an extraordinary

feeling. now, for the men and women, the nurses and the men of whom were in the dark sands of iwo jima, what an extraordinary campaign. and we have done everything we can to fulfill their ideal. at times we fall short. we fall short as a people when we don't fulfill the ideal of their sacrifice. and that is the preservation of freedom and the preservation of individual liberty. and we have to be careful here in the institution of congress that we don't respect each other with regard to our opinions, with regard to our -- to the process, because liberty also in the democratic process is pretty important. so we have this debate on a health bill, we shouldn't try to

scheme, we should be open. this should be the most open and deliberative body in the world so that lady liberty that sits atop of the dome can truly shine as that beacon of liberty, so that the sacrifices of those marines and the sailors and others at iwo jima can live forever. the men and women of whom wear the uniform, they fight for no bounty of their own and they leave freedom in their footsteps. they are truly extraordinary people. they also go to a land where they've never been and they fight for a people that they've never met because they fight for extraordinary ideals. and so those sacrifices that occurred on iwo jima have been passed on to other generations. those of whom fought in korea or in vietnam, in the sands of the first gulf war or even the

second gulf war and afghanistan. so those of us inherent the freedom in those ideals, we're merely trustees for life and our duty so s to consecrate our lives to the greater good, set by recurrent hopes for a more peaceful and prosperous union. to be otherwise would be selfish as a people and it would be wrong to turn to the next generation and say that we did not improve upon it and we would then not be able to uphold the men like at iwo jima that did so much for so many. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from new york. >> madam speaker, i continue to reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman continues to reserve. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for such time as he might consume. the speaker pro tempore: once again i -- mr. lamborn: once again, i commend the fighters. the freedom they fought and

worked for is embodied in the constitutional system we enjoy in this country. few votes we have taken in this body will affect our constitutional system of freedom more than the vote that we take tomorrow on health care. and i would like to show, madam speaker, the bills that we have in front of us and the, i think, short time that we've unfortunately had to review them. sitting here are the various bills from the house and senate and the reconciled version and the committee reports here, these total more than 6,200 pages. we've had a brief 72 hours to review these materials. by the time our vote rolls around, projected for tomorrow afternoon. that is simply not the way we should do business in this people's house. if we take 72 hours, eight hours a day for sleeping so you don't

get burned out completely, in that remaining 48 hours, could you read about two pages a minute, if you read from morning until night. and then you would get through these 6,000 pages. you probably couldn't look up any of the citations, though, that slows you down even further. but this is what we're faced with when we have our vote tomorrow. i think that we really should have a different and better process and the american people deserve better. at this time, madam speaker, i would like to yield three minutes to the gentleman from georgia, representative westmoreland. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for three minutes. . mr. westmoreland: i thank mr. braley for bringing this resolution and what it means to the men and women who serve in our military and especially those who fought so brafle at iwo jima. as i was walking across today to the longworth office building, i

ran sbool several veterans -- into several veterans out in the crowd and they were asking me about the health care vote that we're going to have tomorrow and about other situations that's going on in our government and a lot of them asked me, they said, i served my country and i didn't expect to have this type of treatment or have this forced on me, my children or grandchildren. one of the interesting facts is that the senate bill is going to be passed in this house tomorrow that passed in the senate evidently had some things in it that maybe people dvent understand. chairman skelton brought a bill to the floor today to make sure that tricare was looked at as an acceptance insurance program, tricare, the thing we give our veterans that serve owe faithfully in our military.

tricare wasn't going to be looked at as an acceptable insurance program. we were looking to strip them of that. and the veterans could not understand that concept, how that could have gotten by 60 people in the senate that evidently know it was in there or didn't care about those veterans that have served our country so brafle. and so, you know -- bravely. and you we add -- had a motion to recommit and then the votes started changing and ended up 339 -- 39 no votes and it was only a three-page bill. only a three-page bill. now, our side certainly and i'm sure the gentlelady from wyoming wasn't trying to trick anybody.

a three-page bill, very plainly written, but evidently, nobody had read it. and so everybody voted against it and it started getting around about sexual predators to be allowed to be in this group to look after our forest land. 140 people are down here changing their vote on a three-page bill. can you imagine what's in a 2,700-page bill that members of this house have not read? we are going to suffer some unintended consequences. and probably those that are going to feel the greatest losses are the brave men and women that have served so faithfully and defended our country and fought for our rights and freedoms. and we are fixing to pass legislation that nobody in this house has read and completely understands. and again, i thank the gentleman for yielding. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from new york.

mr. owens: madam speaker, i previously reserved as much time as i required. i would like to respond just briefly. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. owens: i would like to respond to the comments about the bill and the inability to comprehend it in a short period of time. i'm relatively new to congress. the senate bill has been available i think for better than 80 days. this sounds like a college or high school student saying i had to stay up all night and cram because i didn't study during the semester. there was adequate time for everyone in the house to read the senate bill. i certainly did. i read the reconciliation bill in one night. so the claim that this is being hoisted upon us in a manner that does not allow for its comprehension is simply incomprehensible.

i yield two minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from oregon, mr. defazio. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. defazio: let's return to the subject at hand for a moment. the republicans are attempting to pretsell into a debate honoring the heroes of world war ii, the greatest generation, those who liberated the pacific rim, those who gave their lives, those who climbed the mount against all odds and raised the american flag so proudly. and they are trying to pretzel some pretty strange things. let me address a couple. first, we had the gentleman talking about threats to veterans' health care.

there will be nothing in this legislation, the health care legislation that in anyway impinges upon the health care that our veterans have earned and the gentleman is fully aware in the house bill, which was thoughtfully written, that that was mentioned and fully protected. i'm not going to apologize for the bipartisan, and it is bipartisan, total incompetence of the united states senate. i'm not going to apologize for that, but we passed a resolution to make clear what our intent was and what will be in the law, veterans' health care benefits fully protected. but while i'm on the subject, i saw the former chair of the veterans committee here on the floor. we need a sense of history. it was a year in the bush administration after repeated cuts to the veterans' budget when they were running out of money in june, when the republicans controlled the house, the senate and the white house and it was a democrat who

came to the floor and said, we need $2 billion more immediately to deliver on our obligations to our veterans. and there was a brave guy. there was a republican, chris smith from new jersey, chaired the republican side of the aisle and chair of the veterans committee and he voted with the democrats. and you know what the republican leadership did? they stripped him of his chairmanship for his advocacy for veterans and they put that gentleman who spoke previously in the chair in his sted. could i have an additional minute? we need a little sense of history around here. we are still repairing the damage the bush administration did to the veterans health administration. they need better funding. we are going to give them two years of certainty where every year they were hanging on the cliff and ran out of money in june and so don't tell me you

guys are here the great defenders of our veterans and the other gentleman raised about this three-page republican motion to recommit to change their vote. i read it. he might also reveal that that three-page amendment was only available one minute before it was discussed for 10 minutes on the floor. it was not published online or made available to members and members did not know the content of that. this legislation that will be voted on has been online, the health care, for 72 hours, the manager's amendment is now up on-line. that republican amendment was available foyer about a grand -- for about 11 minutes. let's be honest and consistent around here and spend a little more time honoring the greatest generation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the

gentleman from colorado rise? the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: this pile of paper representing 2,310 pages was released to the body three days ago, march 17. this is the text of h.r. 4872 reported from the house budget committee. i would be occur yous if my colleague has read this 2,300 page document and the additional committee reports sense that time and possibly we will have a manager's amendment tomorrow. we'll find out about that. even more substantively than that, madam speaker, is that we are talking tomorrow about a health care plan that the american people do not want. we should not be doing this bill tomorrow or at any time. we should start over with incremental, bipartisan reform that everyone here or most of us anyway, could agree with it, not

a partisan bill that only one party will be voting for. the bipartisanship in the house i suspect will be the opposition to the bill. there are mandates in the president's proposed plan for health care, as the house and senate are taking it up. there are new taxes. there are cuts in medicare. there is failure to have tort reform. there is increased government intervention. let me mention the increased government intervention. there will be new bureaucratic boards that will come up with the definition of quality and will give more power to federal government through the bureaucracy. provisions such as the comparative effectiveness research board, independent medicare advisory board and others, will be set up through this plan. a form of government-run plan will maintain the o.p.m. oversee

and multistate plans and co-ops. there are still unfortunately, sweetheart deals in this plan. the cornhusker kickback has provisions still existing. the louisiana purchase is still there. there are carveouts for unions and other sweetheart deals. and sadly to say, there are broken promises. the president set several parameters including that the bill would cost under $900 billion. that has been broken. that there would be no taxes on those making under $250,000. that promise has been broken. that families' health insurance premiums would go down by 2,500 a year. that promise is broken. and if individuals liked what they had they could keep it. and that will not be kept either. the bottom line is some might compare the last-minute inclusion of a few bread crumbs from the republican side without

republican true input or knowledge on fraud, waste and abuse and subsequent comments that we are being partisan for standing up for our constituents and not supporting something that we in principle do not agree with, is just plain wrong. let me say this about reconciliation. house democratic leaders have been searching for a way to ensure that any move they make to approve the senate-passed $871 billion health care reform bill as it came over from the senate is followed by senate action on a reconciliation package of adjustments to the original bill. however, this is a nonstarter. the senate parliamentarian has ruled that president obama must sign congress's original health care reform bill -- i would yield briefly to the the gentleman from new york. mr. owens: what does reconciliation have to do with

honoring veterans at iwo jima? mr. lamborn: reclaiming my time. and let me conclude by saying there is another problem with the health care bill that we will be looking at in a few hours tomorrow afternoon on abortion. abortion funding will be required of the taxpayers in our country. current legislation would permit federal funds to subsidize plans covering abortion, would permit a multistate health plan to offer abortion coverage and would require citizens in states that have operated out of the elective abortion coverage in their own exchange to still fund federal subsidies for plans for elected abortions in other states. in addition, the bill includes $7 billion in new mandatory spending on community health centers, funding that is not subject to any restrictions prohibiting federal dollars. if the current legislation

passes the house without abortion funding restrictions, such as was, i believe properly introduced in the representative bart stupak amendment, it will be virtually impossible to alter the language through reconciliation as the two versions are reconciled over in the senate since senate republicans have said that they will block amendments which require 60 votes to overcome a point of order under reconciliation. so for those reasons, i would say that we should not be passing the bill tomorrow. it will severely degrade the freedom in our country for those who want to live their lives and not be subject to government control and intervention and all the decisions that they make with their doctors for their own health care. i would yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time.. the gentleman from new york. mr. owens: i yield one minute to my friend and colleague, the

gentleman from new york, mr. israel. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. israel: i thank the gentleman. i must say with all due respect, i'm profounding zoichted. i thought the one thing we could agree on in this body without delay and distraction, without partisanship is honoring our veterans. we are debating and discussing a resolution honoring the veterans of iwo jima and even that has been plight sized and delayed and districted. is there anything you can agree to do with us? can they not even agree, madam speaker, to pass without delay a resolution honoring our veterans without politicizing it and injecting partisanship. we are here to honor our veterans and honor the people at iwo jima and instead we turn it into a debate on health care and

i'm truly deloipted. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york. mr. owens: i yield two minutes to the the gentleman from colorado. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. . mr. perlmutter: i've had a chance to listen to my colleague from colorado take what should be, you know, really a glorious opportunity to honor our vets, to honor vets who served in one of the bloodiest battles world war ii or this world has ever seen generally and to start talking about abortion and about the health care bill, it just -- i can't believe that they're taking this approach, madam speaker. i had the opportunity just within the last two weeks to work with 11 veterans who served in iwo jima, who were flying there for the 65th anniversary which we're honoring today and to stand with those men who they

and so many others just gave everything they had to protect this nation, was such a privilege, such an honor, the fact that i and our office could play any role in helping them get back there for the ceremony which the flag was raised was a tremendous privilege for all of us. to take the time, to veer off into health care when we should be honoring these gentlemen for their service i think is a trafficiest and i would say that to my friend from colorado -- travesty and i would say that to my friend from colorado. this is something that's important. these people served us valiantly. and i can tell you, their service is just honored and is so celebrated in colorado that i just wanted to get up here today while i'm in the midst of the health care debate to honor them and thank them for their

service. mr. lamborn: will the gentleman yield? mr. perlmutter: i will. mr. lamborn: my good friend has raised a point. i don't know if he was able to be here at the beginning of the resolution. we had a wonderful discussion about the tremendous valor shown in iwo jima but this is a discussion also -- mr. lamborn: reclaiming my time from my friend. reclaiming my time from my friend. this hour should be dedicated to the veterans. that's what i say. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from new york. mr. owens: madam speaker, at this time i have no further requests for time and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1099 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to and the gentleman has asked for the yeas and nays?

the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 and the chair's prior announcement further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from guam seek recognition? ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i move to suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 925 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 925, resolution expressing the sense of the house of representatives regarding the meritorious service performed by aviators in the united states armed forces who were shot down over or otherwise forced to land in hostile territory yet evaded enemy capture or were captured but subsequently escaped.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from guam, ms. bordallo, and the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, each will control 20 minutes. the gentlewoman from guam is recognized. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume and ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. the gentlelady is recognized. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i rise in support of house resolution 925 which recognizes aviators in the united states armed forces who were forced to evade or escape enemy capture, were captured but subsequently escaped or were compelled to endure arduous confinement, retaliation and even death as a result of their efforts to evade capture or escape. i wanted to thank my colleague from oregon, mr. defazio, for introducing this measure. as a member of the house committee on armed services i am honored to recognize the

aviators of the armed forces who have valiantly served the united states in every major conflict during the 20th and 21st century. aviators, including pilots, navigators, weapons control officers and other aircraft crew members, with fierce courage and distinction faced the threat of being forced down each time they take to the skies. madam speaker, house resolution 925 recognizes those downed aviators that have not only miraculously survived unexpected flight termination but also have confronted additional dangers escaping or attempting to escape enemy capture on the ground. it also expresses the sense of the house that those downed aviators that were tortured or killed as a result of their efforts to evade capture or escape should be publicly recognized for their

extraordinary service. so in honor of these men and women who have selflessly served our nation, many without the encouragement of public recognition, i urge my colleagues to vote yes to this resolution and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: thank you, madam speaker. i too rise in support of house resolution 925 which seeks recognition for aviators who as a result of hostile action or other causes were forced to escape and evade their potential captors. every military aviator who begins a combat mission recognizes and prepares for the possibility that hostile actions or other events will compel the aviator to escape and evade capture. thousands of american aviators have faced that daunting task. some overcame long odds and great hardships to return to their units, to resume their service. others tried to evade enemy forces but were captured, suffering arduous confinement, torture and even death.

except for a few, the specific identities of those thousands have mostly faded from american memory and many were not recognized for their determined efforts to escape and evade. that's why this resolution is important. these aviators deserve recognition, that is why i call on all members to support this bill. i thank you, madam speaker, i yield back and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from guam. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i yield such time as he may consume to my friend and colleague and the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from oregon, mr. defazio. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oregon is recognized for such time as he might consume. mr. defazio: i thank the gentlelady. the previous resolution had to do with the anniversary of iwo jima. this is something that would actually go to a number of wars and conflicts that the u.s. armed forces have been involved in, but i will focus a bit on a

veteran of world war ii in terms of the need for this recognition and resolution. oddly enough, somehow the defense department has overlooked the valiant service of many who were previously in the army, united states air force or in the flying arms of the united states army or the marines and navy, and their sacrifice when they've been shot down "behind enemy lines" and not captured -- behind enemy lines and not captured or imprisoned but managed to evade escape, sometimes allying themselves with resistance movements, other times just depriving the enemy of the victory of capturing a downed u.s. pilot, airman of any sort. this first came to my attention

when i was approached by a gentleman i've known a number of years in eugene, oregon, don fisher. and he came to me with a request i hear from a lot of vets which is, hey, could you help me get my service records? we had the infamous fliers of st. -- fire of st. louis which burned up so many veterans' records. we're asked to reconstitute their records. and i said, sure, don, i mean, that's really pretty routine. we can help you. he said, well, this one isn't quite so routine. i said, well, how's that? and he said, well, i was shot down, you know, over occupied france in a b-17. and i came down "behind enemy lines" and -- behind enemy lines and i was harbored by french families who were friendly to the allies, cooperated, worked with the resistance and evaded escape

until d-day. and on d-day he revealed himself to british forces and was first allowed to send a message home but then when turned over to the u.s. forces they had questioned about whether he really was a u.s. aviator and he was rather extensively interrogated. and so what he wanted was to get his interrogation files because he said, you know, i don't really remember everything that happened to me when i was behind enemy lines. he said, i'm sure when i was a young man i had a better memory the and i would like to have that for my family and myself and i said, well, sure, we'll help. well, it's either, you know, been, you know, still in the depths of some classification system somewhere or it was declassified and so we could never find that file. but that brought me the interest in him and his organization. there's an organization of what they call evaders, in this case the world war ii, and many of

them are becoming quitele elderly. they're going to have a -- becoming quite elderly. they're going to have a reunion out at the air force academy in colorado. and i took on the task to try and get them some recognition. so this is actually two parts. one is expressing the sense of congress, you know, for admiration for their extraordinary service and again this is not -- this does not just extend to world war ii, it would be korea, vietnam and, you know, iraq, afghanistan, other conflicts and other involvements by u.s. forces, anybody who has been in the situation. and secondly, recommending strongly to the secretary of defense for the special ribbon award or medal be developed to recognize these activities and encourage these activities because there will be future u.s. aviators who will be in the same position and we want to know -- we want them to know that we honored their

forbearers, those who came before them, who for years hid and operated "behind enemy lines" -- behind enemy lines and then came back to freedom with our victories. it's been now -- it'll be, it's almost exactly 47 years since he was shot down. it's a story that's not totally extraordinary, i know other world war ii veterans, but i'll recount it briefly. his plane was shot down, they bailed out, he doesn't remember much because they were pretty high altitude. he blacked out, the next thing he knew he was hanging from a tree and the german fighter pilots circled him and he thought for sure he was going to be strafed and said the jemplen fighter pilots -- said the german fighter pilots flew off. he managed to get extricated from his harness and was sheltered by frembling and ultimately became associated with french resistance and, as i say, met the liberators in paris

when we liberated paris. so this is one of thousands of extraordinary stories and acts of valor by our soldiers and i just hope strongly that we can get unanimous agreement on this resolution, restrict the debate to the subject of this resolution, to honor these people for their extraordinary service and move on. with that i would yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: thank you, madam speaker. the service performed by aviators in the u.s. armed forces is indeed meritorious. they have fought brafe bravely and risked much to take care of our country. indeed they deserve the recognition and care for their sacrifice that this resolution embodies. as members of the military, their health care falls under the tricare system which, as representative skelton mentioned

earlier in this day, must be addressed in any health care bill before congress. we must make sure that any bill we pass in this area gives them the benefits that they deserve. at this point i would yield back to the gentlelady from guam, reserving the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from guam. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i continue to reserve the balance of my time and inquire if the minority have any additional speakers? mr. lamborn: yes, several. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: madam speaker, i would yield five minutes at this time to the gentleman from florida, mr. posey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. . mr. posey: i thank the gentleman from colorado for yielding, madam speaker. i applaud the sponsors and co-sponsors and everyone in this body who is taking the time to support the heroes that we're discussing today and i would

like to take this opportunity to remind the body, as my colleague just has that we must keep the tricare promise to them as well. while we are on the tricare-health care subject, i would like to express my strong objections to the health care legislation, the unprecedented abuses and perhaps unconstitutional process to which it's being considered. the american people are telling us that they don't want it. besides the fact that social security is unsustainable. medicare is unsustainable and only a few doctors accept medicaid as it is now. there are another top 10 reasons to reject it. it raises taxes, adds more to the national debt, kills two million more jobs. gives the i.r.s. unprecedented power over the lives of the american people, replaces your doctors, cuts medical care by

more than half a trillion dollars and congress is exempt. provides for the largest expansion for abortion coverage, including taxpayer subsidies, will bankrupt states through unfunded mandates. it doesn't include strict enforcement, it is a plaud process out of the view of c-span cameras. we are a nation of laws and laws aren't supposed to be ignored or when they impose a hurdle. we teach our children to play by the rules but this congress is teaching them something very different. how can we expect the american people to obey the laws that congress passes when congress won't obey its own rules. the rule of law has separated the united states from the banana republics and millions of americans, including those we are honoring today who have fought and died for this

country, yet this bill, this process grossly compromises that principle. congress isn't listening to the american people and is ignoring their voices. any time you promise to take from peter and pay paul, one thing usually happens, paul votes for you. and that's where we are right now today in congress. this is exactly what ultimately leads democracies to fail and this will undermine the future of our republic, the greatest nation in the history of the world that these men and women fought and died for. if democracies cannot exist, it can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves from the public treasury. from that moment on, the majority votes for promising the most benefits. these nations have progressed from bonders in spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to

abundance from abundance to self fishness, from selfishness to apaggetty and from dependency back into bondage. it is not difficult to see where we are on that scale, but what is true is it's frightening. is this a santa claus with a bottomless pit of benefits that cannot fail. it isn't and it can if we aren't stewards of the good gifts our forefathers gave to us. we must not let this fail on our watch. if our founders like to live like europeans they wouldn't have come here in the first place, but they didn't. they wanted a land of opportunity not a land of government administration. americans don't want to go this path. increasingly losing power to government. vice president biden said it best when he said the government will control health care in

america. his words, not mine. no one believes the status quo is acceptable. there are many areas we can find agreement and must move forward to fix the problems. the american people deserve better. let them know that we know they don't work for congress. congress works for them. by defeating this bill. thank you, madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentlelady from guam. ms. bordallo: i would like to inquire as to how much time we have left. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from guam has 12 1/2 minutes. the gentleman from colorado has 14 minutes. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i now recognize the gentleman from california, mr. garamendi for two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. garamendi: i thank you, madam speaker.

i grew up in the 1940's and 1950's and i remember the men and women that came back from the war, some gravely wounded, carrying those wounds for the rest of their lives and some having survived, but survived behind enemy lines. this resolution honors those that fought in so many different ways and particularly those behind enemy lines and were unable to be recognized for the extraordinary contribution they made to the war effort. and it's perfectly appropriate. what is not appropriate is what our colleagues on the republican side have done with this debate and with the previous debate. we are honoring our soldiers. we are honoring our men and women that have fought. we will soon be debating the health care issue and at the appropriate time, we should be taking that up. but to somehow demean, demean the courage, the resolution and

the extraordinary sacrifice is just plain wrong. i would ask our colleagues to set it aside. in a few moments we'll pick up the health care debate and i would be delighted to join you in that debate. but now, let's focus on those who have served this country in time of war. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i would say that it's always the proper time to talk about issues that impact our freedom. and we have moment to us issues that -- momentous issues that deal upon that freedom. i yield 3 1/2 minutes to my friend who is a veteran, mr. rogers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 3 1/2 minutes. other president of the

united states combined.

it is shocking and it's breathtaking. and the arrogance of this chamber to bring such an uni've american bill with such sweetheart sleazy deals and arm-twisting to make it happen is wrong. i know that the soldiers that i served with fought for a unified country, a country that believed in liberty and personal responsibility and limited government. i know that today, we ought to stand for that, too and we ought to bring this to light and clean up our act in congress. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlewoman from guam. ms. bordallo: i yield two minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from oregon, mr. defazio. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. defazio: i wish the republican side had been able to wait until later this evening during their two hours to raise their concerns about health care, but there are some things

that mirrors a response in truth and the american way. the gentleman before me is extraordinary. this president has deficits totalled larger than every other president combined, no, actually, yes, we do have a record deficit this last year. most of it is inherited from george bush, but, it's true. now that's a very high year. george bush is the one who doubled the national debt and accumulated more debt than any other president before him before the collapse of wall street, because of the deregulatory agenda of the bush administration and the republican party, every ounce of which i fought on the floor of this house, which brought america to its knees, which dissolved peoples' savings for greedy bankers and investors and others and the republicans put that agenda in place when they controlled the house, senate and

white house with their deregulatory approach. so it's not factually true. i'm concerned about the deficits and we have to deal with that, but george bush doubled the debt. there is a record one-year increase that doesn't exceed the amount of debt george bush accumulated. he may be -- i will not yield to the gentleman. to the gentleman before him who talked about bankrupting people because we're going to give them access to quality, affordable health care. i wish he would tell that to the woman from my district who i talked to who got cancer, had an individual policy and guess what? she paid her premiums and when it came time for renewal, the company said, sorry, we don't renew policies of people who have cancer. thank you very much for your premiums. or the gentleman i met in the unemployment office -- could i have an additional minute?

ms. bordallo: i yield a minute. mr. defazio: the gentleman i met in the scrun employment office, he had rights to purchase health care under cobra, but the cost of his health care was 3/4's of his unemployment benefits. his wife was deathly ill. this was a tough guy. he cried in public in that office. that won't happen again if we pass this legislation tomorrow. that gentleman will not be forced to choose between keeping his home, feeding his family and getting his wife needed health care. under that plan that continues, status quo. you guys are the pets of the insurance industry and you know it. and the woman who needed a double mass ectomy and had a special time. and her job was a way to get her off the plan. they reviewed her history and found she went to a doctor for acne. she didn't report it. they rescinded her policy and a

guy from your side of the aisle had to threaten publicly to get her reinstated. this law will prohibit that. we need to take on the health insurance industry and prevent these abuses and your proposals would do nothing about it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. we ask merms to address their remarks through the chair. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i yield 30 seconds to the gentleman, mr. rogers. mr. rogers: this will impact 310 million americans. the problem with your stories is you are going to say 85% of the story that is working right and be punished and ration health care to fix the 15%. you won't have one tough guy crying, but millions and millions of americans crying. and on the deficit, to set it straight. the year prior to the democrats taking over control of this congress, it was $270 billion

deficit. the year right up to leading of their takeover of this chamber, $160 billion. and next year, $1.4 trillion. that's your problem, that's your plan. you need to deal with the facts. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlewoman from guam. . ms. bordallo: i yield three minutes to the gentleman from washington, mr. inslee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. inslee: the purpose of this resolution is to honor the aviators who've done such courageous duty for this country and they have, and i think one of the things they have done because of their sacrifices is that they've always given america a chance to become a more perfect union, and i think the language in our founding documents of working towards a more perfect union suggests that we're a country that's always looking for an opportunity to get just a

little bit better. and we now have a bill we'll be voting on tomorrow that does give america a chance not to solve all our problems but to get a little bit better when it comes to health care. and i just want to in the context of an aviator suggest what that may mean. an aviator goes to france, serves on a b-17 like so many courageous aviators did, shot down, rescued, prisoner of war, returns, starts a little business, raises a family back home. survives world war ii. raises, let's say, his daughter. she grows up to maturity, has a kid. is a proud grandfather like many of these aviators are. what can happen to his daughter right now in the current situation of the law? what can happen is she can have insurance, she can have a good job, she can be taking care of her family and then she can develop cancer.

and you know what this side of the aisle wants to allow to continue to be the law of the united states of america? they want to let the aviator's daughter to be able to be canceled in their insurance policy because she develops cancer. let's assume the grandchild of the aviator develops diabetes and gets to maturity and want to go out and buy an insurance company. guess what this side of the aisle wants to allow to be continued practice in america? they, who are going to be voting en masse, en masse against health care reform tomorrow, they will be voting tomorrow to allow the aviator's grandchild to be denied insurance because they developed diabetes. now, i question whether american aviators who fight wars proudly think it's really up to american standards to allow the children and grandchildren of aviators to be

denied coverage because they developed illness. we don't think that's good enough for america. we think we deserve better. and what we'll be doing tomorrow is voting for a provision that will give the families of aviators the right to in fact to be treated fairly in america. now, i know many people, they've argued this is somehow a government takeover of health care. i thought about that and i can understand people don't want a government takeover of health care. but in its fundamental what this does is it changes the relationship between americans and the insurance industry. and that's a relationship in the rules of that relationship do need to change because we need to give americans more choice, we need to give them more freedom, we need to give them more protection against some of the practices of the insurance companies and that's what we'll be voting to do tomorrow. so i say, let's honor some aviators, let's honor their

families by giving their families the right to have health care even though they have asthma, even though they have diabetes, even though they have parkinson's, whether they are republicans or democrats or red and blue states, all americans deserve to be able to have insurance in this country. that's what we're going to do tomorrow. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from colorado. >> thank you, madam speaker. there are some important and vital and principled reasons why this side of the aisle will be opposing the health care plan should it come to a vote tomorrow. and just briefly let me recap these. it raises taxes by $570 billion over 10 years. it will cost the taxpayers $1.2 trillion, not to mention the so-called doc fix of about $371 billion, a massive increase of government spending. it's also a takeover by the government. a dramatic step away from personal-private coverage and choice to a government-run

system that will end up rationing care. it's unconstitutional. there's nowhere in the constitution that says the government has the power to require every single person to go out and buy insurance whether they want to or not. it fails to adequately address illegal immigrants through no enforceable means of citizen verification. it funds abortion. there's lack of tort reform. it forces americans out of their current plans. it increases premiums. it will increase personal health expenditures whether people can afford it or not. it bends the curve of government spending in the future in the wrong direction. it constitutes a massive permanent government takeover of the private student loan industry. that's 30,000 jobs right there. it's chalked full of different deals from the bismarck bank job to the louisiana purchase and others. it does not factor in market risk regarding defaults on student loans. so for all those reasons, madam

speaker, we should be opposing that bill when it comes -- if it comes to a vote tomorrow. at this point i'd like to yield three minutes to my friend and colleague from the state of ohio, who's also a member of the armed services committee that i serve on with him, representative turner. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. turner: madam speaker, while we are debating this bill, americans are concerned about the pending health care legislation. americans know that advances in medical research are a strength of the american health care system and should be encouraged instead of restricted by additional layers of red tape. unfortunately this misguided health care legislation would reduce medicare payments to cat scan and m.r.i. providers. it also creates a 2.9% excise tax on medical equipment manufacturers. the lowered payments and increased taxes can reduce the availability of new and advancing medical idge imaging

technology -- imaging technology. it will delay or deny patient access to new and valuable text technologies. continued innovation that improves patient-centered medicine is vital to the long-term availability of health care services in america. this is just one example of the number of provisions buried in this pending health care bill. the unintended consequences of lowering payments and increasing taxes will constrain future research and development and hinder or doctors' ability to deliver the best quality care to our patients. this pending health care legislation will end up restricting the innovation and invention, which is at the heart of the american economy and for that reason i strongly oppose the bill. and we should be debating that bill today. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from guam. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, could i inquire about how much time we have left?

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from guam has five minutes. and the gentleman from colorado has 6 1/2 minutes. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i would like to yield two minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from california, mr. garamendi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. garamendi: a moment ago i asked, madam speaker, i asked if we could focus on the issue before us which is certainly a meritorious issue. but apparently our colleagues from the republican party want to debate health care, so, ok, guys, let's debate health care. a moment ago the speaker from wherever you are from spoke about somehow limiting the m.r.i.'s. you're absolutely right. the legislation does limit m.r.i.'s that are ordered by a doctor that owns the m.r.i. machine. there's blatant fraud going on and there's blatant overuse and payments by the taxpayers through the medicare and medicaid program as a result of

physician-owned practices. pharmaceuticals, pharmacies as well as the m.r.i.'s and hospitals and this legislation does limit it. you're quite right. we must limit that kind of overuse. i've been at this a long time. i was health -- i was the chairman of the health committee in california in the 1980's when we limited it. i was the insurance commissioner. i've seen these pernicious practices over and over. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back and i'd like to remind members to please address their remarks to the chair and not to any other individuals. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: thank you, madam speaker. at this point i'd like to yield three minutes to my friend and colleague from alabama, representative aderholt. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. aderholt: i thank you, madam speaker. i want to rise today to voice my strong opposition to the massive health care bill that is scheduled to come before the u.s. house of representatives in the next 24 hours. back door deals to coerce members to support the government takeover of health

care is something the american people completely disagree with. and they're making their voice known loud and clear. however, the president and the democrat leadership of this body are forcing us to vote on this bill. in many countries, people have no free speech, but in america we do. so on behalf of all the families in north alabama that i represent, i say to my colleagues in congress, reject this massive takeover of health care that we are to vote on in the next 24 hours. to make this legislation even worse, no amendment is being allowed to stop abortions from being federally funded. members of the majority are not even will be allowed to bring up an amendment on abortion, one of the issue that means most to americans. businesses will be crippled with new taxes and they won't be able to hire out-of-work americans. america has never gone down this road, madam speaker. the road toward

government-controlled health care, and never in our history have we forced individuals to actually purchase insurance. as i was walking into the chamber this afternoon to cast my votes, there were literally thousands of people outside the capitol. they were shouting their opposition to this bill and it was loud and clear. madam speaker, these people are still out there, and the message is still the same and it's loud and clear. no government controlled health care. kill this bill. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from guam. ms. bordallo: madam speaker, i yield one minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from new york, mr. israel. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. israel: i thank my very good friend. i want every veteran in america who is watching this debate, who has at one time or another tried to figure out why it takes so long to get an overdue medal, why they have to wait so long to get a retroactive payment for a disability or

ptsd, i want them to remember that tonight when we try to pass a resolution on iwo jima the republicans delayed it. when we tried to pass a resolution honoring aviators, the republicans delayed it. when we're going to try to pass a resolution honoring cold war veterans, the republicans delayed it. how can you expect as veterans to have your medical care taken care of properly when the other side won't even allow us to pass resolutions honoring veterans expeditiously? i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i yield three minutes to the representative from texas, mr. brady. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. brady: i thank and commend the gentlelady from guam for her resolution. we have so many heroes, aviators who have been shot down in foreign countries defending our freedom, endured tremendous hardships, even death. one of those who was shot down over vietnam, longest serving p.o.w. in america, congressman

sam johnson from plano, texas, is a friend and a true hero to many of us. he opposes this health care bill because he's worried about the impact it will have on veterans. he believes by taking on a huge new entitlement we can never hope to pay for. we'll end up robbing peter to pay paul we'll rob from veterans' health care, which don't even fully fund today as a nation. it's embarrassing, and yet we're going to launch a brand new health care bill that we can't pay for. he's worried about rationing. they passed this wonderful new g.i. bill and never bothered to put in place a mechanism today. most of us have veterans waiting in our office to get the fair benefits this congress promised them but this administration and new government can't deliver. he's worried about to the fact we can't fund health care under this bill. and i think what frustrates people is we already have a medica p