extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. waxman: madam speaker, i yield to the majority leader of the house of representatives, the gentleman from maryland, mr. hoyer, one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland is recognized for one minute. mr. hoyer: i thank my friend for yielding. today is march 21, 2010. on march 21, 1945, martin luther king jr. led a march across the he had monday pettis bridge -- across the edmon pettis bridge.

it was a march across that bridge towards a greater freedom for many americans. it was a march for a better quality of life for many americans. indeed, it was a march across the bridge for freedom and a better realization of the promise of our democracy. today, march 21, 2010, we will cross another bridge. it is not a physical bridge but it is a bridge that too many americans find that they cannot cross, a river that separates them from the security of having available the best health care that is available in the world. available to them. we are here to conclude a day of debate which concludes months of debate in a national

conversation that began more than a century ago. but this much is beyond debate. american health care is on an unsustainable course. by the end of this debate, another family will have fallen into bankruptcy because someone had the bad fortune simply to be sick. more families will join them in paying more and more for less and less health coverage. more businesses will have waited bankruptcy against cutting their workers' care and their workers will have lost. . we have before us a bill to change an unsustainable course. that is our choice this evening. it is an historic choice.

it's a choice that all of us volunteered to be put in the position to make. it is a choice that we will be honored to make this evening. we sit in this chamber tonight with john dingell. john dingell who stood at that rostrum with a gavel that the speaker will use tonight to gavel through medicare, that ensured that millions and millions and millions of seniors would not be crushed by poverty and put into bankruptcy by the cost of health care. indeed, they will have been given the opportunity for a longer, better quality of life in america when john dingell brought that gavel down on that desk and noted the passage of medicare in 1965.

for more than 3,000 district events, more than 100 hearings, and almost two years of public debate, health insurance reform has stood up to the scrutiny, to criticism, indeed to falsehoods. but this purpose is older than that. but we were born the task of bringing affordable health care to every american was on our nation's agenda. waiting for this day. at the beginning of this decade in 2002, george w. bush said, and i quote, all americans should be able to choose a health care plan that meets their needs at affordable price. george bush was right. in 1976, gerald ford spoke and

i quote, of our effort to upgrade and perpetuate our total health care system so no individual in this country will lack help whenever or wherever he needs it. gerald ford was right. and richard nixon said this, let us act now. that was in 1974 when there were far fewer americans who did not have health insurance. and where health care was less costly. richard nixon was right in 1974 on this issue. let us in 2010 in a bipartisan way, perhaps not a bipartisan

vote but recognizing that this has been a bipartisan objective, a bipartisan vision for those republican presidents and democratic presidents whom i have not quoted but whom as all of you know were equally committed to that vision and that objective. affordable health care for all. for all americans was embraced by both parties' nominees in the last campaign, senator obama and senator mccain. what a campaign of fear this bill has faced this last year. its critics call it without justification and we'll hear it tonight, a government takeover. that's not true. but if you believe it's true, perhaps you think we ought to repeal veterans' health care which is clearly government-run

health care. perhaps we ought to repeal medicare, government participated but private sector providers. perhaps you believe medicare should be repealed. i don't think you do. i hope you don't. it is more control, however, for whom for consumers and for insurance companies. it is discrimination for people with pre-existing conditions. and caps on benefits. it is cover you can rely on whether you lose your job or become your own boss. coverage that reaches 95% of all americans. its critics call it tyranny. there is none. it is a free, competitive,

transparent marketplace where individuals and small businesses can pool together to buy private insurance at low rates. it is lower cost for the middle class and an end to the prescription drug doughnut hole. that has faced too many struggling seniors. its critic mocked this as out-of-control government. in truth it is the biggest deficit reduction bill any of us will have an opportunity to vote on in this congress and indeed in other congresses as well. indeed, it's the deepest deficit reduction since the clinton budget of 19 -- of the 1990's that ushered in a budget surplus and historic prosperity. according to the nonpartisan c.b.o., this bill is $143 billion in savings in the first

decade and more than $1 trillion of savings in the second decade. we can add to those deficit savings real cost controls that bring down the price of the world's most expensive health care. take those into account says leading health care economist david cutler, and america saves an additional $600 billion in the first 10 years. and even more in the second 10 years. and yet there are some who hope for this bill's defeat. they would see that, i think, as the defeat of one party. one senator made that observation. and said this might be the president's waterloo. if this bill fails, the waterloo will be that of the people without health care insurance. the people who are struggling to make sure that their

children are healthy and well and safe. but it would be a defeat for them and for our country for a healthier america is a stronger america. they saw the same thing in 1993, my republican colleagues, , when to a person, as i believe will happen tonight, unfortunately, in 1993 to a person they did the same thing, my republican friends, voted without a single exception against the 1993 economic reform plan of the clinton administration. congressman boehner asked, and i quote, who does this spending stimulate except maybe the liberal faculty at harvard or berkley? congressman kasich said if it

i'd have to become a democrat. it did work and he didn't change. it was a partisan vote, mr. speaker, a partisan vote that helped create 22.7 million jobs contrary to what so many of my republican friends said that bill would do. and a record budget surplus of $5.6 trillion. contrary to the assertion of mr. armey that it would create deep debt. that bill passed through a gauntlet of slurs, high hyperbole and untruths, and so did medicare which republicans called brazen socialism. and so did social security which republicans -- which a

republican congressman called the lash of the dictator. i don't know whether there are any republicans in this body tonight that believed that social security is the lash of the dictator. i hope not. those slurs were false in 1935. they were false in 1965. and, ladies and gentlemen of this house, they are false in 2010. ladies and gentlemen of this house, this bill, this bill will stand in the same company from the misguided outrage of its opposition and the lasting accomplishment for the american people. in closing, mr. speaker, i want to honor some of the little

punk staffers. who gave so much to help us bring this bill to the floor. i say to my friends on the other side of the aisle who did so much to bring your prescription drug bill to the floor, they need to be honored. they need to be thanked. they need to be respected for the work they do for this house, for each of us, but more importantly for america. from the legislative counsel's office, ed grossman, jessica shapiro, megan renfroe, larry johnston, henry chris to have, wade ba lieu, and scott proast. i also want to honor, mr. speaker, the staffs of the house committees on ways and means, energy and commerce, education and labor, rules, and the budget.

as well as the staff of the c.b.o., doug elman dorf, phil ellis, kate massey, pete fountaine, and the whole c.b.o. health care team along with tom and everyone on the staffer on the joint committee on taxation who contributed to their estimates. and finally, two remarkable staffers in my office. have made health reform the cause of their lives and just about every one of their waking hours for the past year. liz murray and ed lorenzi. thank you very much. mr. speaker, one of my staffers, my deputy chief of staff, has a 4-year-old daughter. she's a beautiful young woman. she's a smart young woman. her name is could he let --

collette. a few days ago a neighbor asked collette where her mom was. and i'm told that she answered, she's at work making sure everyone can go see a doctor. thanks, mom. thanks to all the moms throughout america who when we pass this bill will have a greater sense of security for their kids, for their families, for themselves. i know this bill is complicated. but it's also very simple. illness and infirmity are universal. and we are stronger against them together than we are alone. our bodies may fail us. our neighbors don't have to. in that shared strength is our

nation's strength. and in this bill is a more prosperous and more just future. unfortunately much of this debate has been divisive. much of it has been irrelevant. we have seen angry people at the doorstep of the capitol. every president over the last century has said this is necessary for a great nation to do. my colleagues, how proud we must all be that our neighbors have elected us to come here in this, the people's house, to do this good work this night. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields.

the gentleman from texas, mr. barton, is recognized for 10 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. barton: i would like to yield the gentleman from alabama for a unanimous consent request. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks against this flawed health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barton: madam speaker, i would like to yield the gentleman from north carolina for unanimous consent request. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. coble: i thank the gentleman for yielding. madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this flawed health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. . mr. barton: i ask unanimous consent to allow the gentleman for a unanimous consent request. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. barton: i'd like to yield to mr. deal for one minute. mr. deal: i thank the gentleman

for yielding. it's been said that the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. despite billions of dollars in new taxes, despite billions of dollars in cuts to medicare and despite deceptive accounting practices to hide the true cost of this bill, it appears we've run out of money here in washington because we're seeking to impose unprecedented an unconstitutional mandates on our states. tonight, as i cast what might be the last congressional votes of my career, i am pleased to say as i pursue my full-time activity to become governor of the state of georgia, i am proud to say i will cast my vote against this bill. if this bill becomes law, i will devote myself to making sure the people of my state are not subject to the unconstitutional individual mandate and that our state is not subject to the unconstitutional mandate to

increase our roles. i know i am not alone. i urge my colleagues to join me in a no vote. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expire. the gentleman from california is recognized. >> madam speaker, i yield myself two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. wax pan: -- mr. waxman: this is a historic moment. this is a moment presidents of both parties have sought for hundreds of years. we must act. the status quo sun sustainable. this bill provides all americans the security of knowing they will always be able to afford health care for themselves and their families. the bedrock foundation of the legislation is that it builds on what works today and reform what is it doesn't. but we fundamentally reform the insurance company practices

that are failing our families. americans with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage. we abolish lifetime limits on coverage and we ban the practice of rescission by insurance companies when people get sick. we strengthen medicare, seniors who hit the doughnut hole for their drug coverage will get immediate help. a $250 rebate this year, a 50% discount on their brand name drugs next year and the doughnut hole will be completely eliminated within a decade. we provide coverage to 32 million uninsured americans. we eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. the american people will see immediate benefits. today we vote to make a profound difference for the betterment of the american people under the leadership of the president and our speaker. we are poised to provide access to quality health insurance for all. i reserve the balance of my

time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserve. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: i want to yield to the gentleman from michigan, mr. upton, one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. upton: thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, folks are scared. they are really scared. debt is at a historic level, spending is out of control, the nation's trip triple-a credit rating is in trouble. we're going to spend $1 trillion over the next 10 years for $6 trillion in benefits. how did we get here? we are going to start by raiding $523 billion from the medicare checks of older americans. whatever happened to tort reform? not here. the lawyers will continue to get richer suing doctors and

hospitals and older americans will see their benefits evaporate. where are our priorities? yesterday i introduced an amendment to delay the bill until we can guarantee medicare solvency for at least 30 years. it was denied. i guess they'd rather spend money we don't have than uphold our commitments to seniors. debt continues to soar beyond belief. today, every man, woman, and child will spend $6,000 on the debt. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. >> i'm proud to yield to the gentleman from michigan, mr. dingell who has championed the cause for health care in all the time he's been in the congress and before that, his father called upon the congress to adopt this legislation as well. i yield two minutes to the distinguished dean of the house, john dingell from michigan.

mr. dingell: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dingell: madam speaker, i thank my colleague mr. waxman for his leadership and his gracious comments. i want to thank and praise our speaker, our majority leader and the leader in the senate for the great leadership they have given us in this time. today is a day that's going to rank with the day we passed the civil rights bill in 1964. today we are doing something that ranks with what we did with social security and medicare. this is a day in which we can all be proud if we vote for that legislation. facts are an intransgent, hard thing. let's look at the facts of that this does. 32 million americans are going to have health care that don't now. america, which has health care of the best character in the world, does not make it available to 32 million of its

people because they can't afford it. and americans every day are losing their health care. 18,000 americans every year die for want of health care. and 44,000 americans also go bankrupt because of it. what does this bill do? it gives americans the same health care that we here in the congress have. it preserves their choice. it sees if those americans want to change, they can do so. it also fixes the insurance company and as the president has said, this bill is the patient's bill of rights on steroids. as my colleagues who worked on this bill when we passed it years ago will remember, that is legislation which proteblingts the rights of citizens and rate payers. and the reason the insurance companies are so up in arms about it, and they're the ones

opposing this bill, is because it's going to take care of their patients and because it's going to take care of their customers. what's it going to do? no more pre-existing conditions and they can't cancel your policy while you're on the gurney riding into the operating room because you're sick. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. dingell: i want to commend my colleagues for this. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. does the gentleman from california wish to yield additional time? the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from -- the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognize plsmed barton: i would like to yield for unanimous consent request, a member of the committee from the keystone state of pennsylvania, dr. murphy. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. murphy: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this

flawed health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barton: madam speaker, i'd like to yield for one minute to the gentleman from florida, mr. stearns. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. stearns: this incredibly expensive, $1 trillion health care bill will hurt many that simply currently have insurance. the bill will hurt veterans because it does not accept tricare as a qualified medical plan. it will hurt seniors by cutting medicare advantage to fund these new government programs. mr. stupak, no lawyer, will argue that an executived orer is law so the senate bill starts us on a path of government-sanctioned abortion on demand, paid for by taxpayers. the u.s. has a $1.5 trillion deficit and now we're adding $1.2 trillion over 10 years. the president pledged no family making under $250,000 would face tax increases, yet there

are 12 new tax increases violating that pledge and 46% of families making less than $66,000 will be forced to pay the individual mandate. the bill will expand the i.r.s. by 17,000 auditors to enforce new taxes. it will hurt businesses, create health care rationing and move the united states of america to fiscal instability. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from california is recognize. mr. waxman: ms. speaker, i'm pleased to yield at this time to the chairman of the health subcommittee who has played such an instrumental role in the legislation, the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. pallone: thank you, madam speaker. i'm amazed when i hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. they seem to ignore the fact that our health care system is in crisis. millions of americans are going without health insurance.

rising health care costs are bankrupting so many american families. now, democrats today have proposed a bill that will lower health care cost, give almost all americans quality health care coverage, the same as members of congress, and i'm going to repeat that. the same as members of congress, and put an end to insurance company abuses. when we passed this bill -- when we pass this bill, 32 million more americans will be able to see a doctor on a regular basis. america's seniors will get more help to get prescription drugs to keep them healthy and out of the hospital. americans will be healthier, fewer people will get seriously ill and incur outrageous medical bills for hospital and nursing home care and healthier people save the government and health care system significant money even beyond the c.b.o. projections. madam speaker, passage of this bill will lead to a healthier and a stronger america. i urge my colleagues to vote yes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves.

the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: madam speaker, i want to yield to the gentleman from the bluegrass state of kentucky, mr. whitfield, one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from kentucky is recognized for one minute. mr. whitfield: thank you. yesterday, i read an article by speaker pelosi in which she said the health care bill they propose would strengthen medicare, redeuce deficits and bring the predatory practices of health insurance companies under control. how can you strengthen medicare when you take $500 billion out of it? out of the nursing homes, out of hospitals, and out of medicare advantage? how do you claim you reduce the deficit by $138 billion when you include the taxes for 10 years and the expenditures for only six years? and how do you say you're going to control the insurance companies and act like you're throwing them into the briar patch when in fact they support this bill? they went to the white house and helped write this bill. why? because this bill requires

small businesses and individuals to buy health insurance and if not, they will be subject to civil penalty. health reform may be necessary. but this bill is the wrong bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. waxman: i yield one minute to the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. markey, an important member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. markey: on health care, the democratic party is the party of hope, the republicans are the party of nope. the democratic health care bill lowers prescription drug costs for seniors, expands doverpblg 32 million more americans, reducing the deficit by $143 billion over the next 10 year, gives middle class families tax credits to help pay for health

coverage. what do the republican says to this plan? they say, nope. nope to lowering prescription drug prices. nope to expanding coverage. nope to health insurance tax breaks. g.o.p. used to stand for grand old party. now it stands for grandstand, oppose, and postpone. they grandstand with phony claims about nonexistent government takeovers. they oppose any real reform. then they want to postpone fixing our broken health care system. g.o.p., grandstand, oppose, and postpone. today we have a choice. between change and more of the same, between hope and nope. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman's time has expired. mr. markey: for john dingell, for ted kennedy, for all those who need health care reform.

the speaker pro tempore: members should heed the gavel. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: could mr. markey repeat what he just said? i didn't quite get it. i want to yield one minute to the gentleman from the grand canyon state, mr. shadegg of arizona. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. shadegg: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. never before has such a massive change in policy been made on such a purely partisan basis and in the face of such overwhelming opposition. tragically this bill will destroy freedom and do incredible damage to the society. this is a bailout for insurance company they get the individual mandate they wanted all along, a mandate that's un-american and unconstitutional. mark my words, the massive expansion of medicaid in this

bill will bankrupt our states. taxes will go up. the deficit will go up and the debt will go up. this bill is the epitome of washington politicians telling the american people we know better how to run your lives than you do. we owe the american people much better than this we owe them real health care reform. we owe them the kind of reforms that will bring down their premiums. we owe them across-state-line purchases we owe them health care pooling so the sick and ill and those with pre-existing conditions can get their care paid for. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. shadegg: we owe them better than this. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized for one minute. ms. eshoo: madam speaker, i feel so privileged to be part of a congress that is on the

threshold of making history. since teddy roosevelt and all presidents forward, we have struggled in our country to provide something for our people that has eluded them. as the catholic sisters said as they urged us to vote for this legislation, they called it life-affirming. i think the steps we take this evening will perfect the union in our country. why? because the human body holds the soul. and when we help to cure, when we help to heal, when we recognize the dignity of every single american, that they have first-class citizenship and that they should, indeed, have health care coverage. this is a landmark piece of legislation. i feel privileged that my

constituents have sent me here to cast a vote for it. and i urge everyone to do so. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: members are reminded to please heed the gavel. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: i yield one minute to the gentlelady from the golden gate state of california, congressman bono mack. the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlewoman from california is recognized. mrs. bono mack i rise in opposition to this flawed bill and adds to this massive deficit. this bill and abusive process and back-room deals to secure passage is the wrong approach. my father was a teaching physician at ucla and would have been appalled that a new bureaucracy will be making the health care decisions for his patients. in my districts, thousands of seniors will lose medicare advantage coverage that serves them so well and saves lives.

this bill is a shell game that picks winners and losers and does nothing to achieve real reform. the american people have rejected this dangerous approach. true reform should be accomplished with bipartisan cooperation and not strong-arm tactics sm the only thing that is bipartisan is opposition to this flawed bill. we can and must do better. i urge my colleagues to vote no. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from california. mr. waxman: i yield to the gentlelady from virgin islands, ms. christensen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. christensen: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong support of the patient protection and affordable care act. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. waxman: madam speaker, i want to yield one minute to the the gentleman from michigan, mr. stupak, who who played an

influential role in this legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. stupak: i wish to engage the chairman in a colloquy. prior to the debate, members on both sides of the abortion issue have maintained that current law should apply, current law with respect to abortion includes the hyde amendment. the hyde amendment and similar statutes to and have been the law of the land on federal funding of abortions on 1977 and applied to all other federal programs and all health care programs, including schip, medicare, medicaid, veterans health care, community health centers and federal employees health benefits program. the intent behind this legislation and the executive order the president will seib is to ensure that as provided for in the hyde amendment that there will be a ban on the use of federal funds except in instances of rape, incest and

endangerment of life of the mother. mr. waxman: that is correct, the intent both the legislation and the executive order is to maintain a ban on federal funds being used for abortion services -- i yield another 30 seconds, that are provided in the hyde amendment, nothing more, nothing less. mr. stupak: i thank the chairman and seeking the chairman's comment mit that this will continue. mr. waxman: this is an issue of great concern to the the gentleman from michigan and many others. you have my commitment to work with you and many others in the future. mr. stupak: thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from texas. mr. barton: i have a parliamentary inquiry. it has been agreed to, i am told, by the parliamentarian and others that if i yield mr. sensenbrenner two minutes right now, it will come out of leader

boehner's time. and i would like to -- the speaker pro tempore: the chair has been so advised. mr. barton: i yield mr. sensenbrenner of wisconsin two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. sensenbrenner: i have listened to this colloquy and frankly, it doesn't state the law. the proposed executive order, which i have a copy of, specifically states that nobody can enforce the executive order in any court. so the executive order is merely a piece of paper that certainly will not have any effect of law. earlier today, the gentlewoman from florida, ms. wasserman schultz was quoted on fox news saying, well it can't be changed by executive order because executive order can't be changed the law. but even on a policy question, president obama at a campaign rally when he was running for re-election, criticized the bush

administration's excessive use of executive orders. congress's job is to pass legislation. the president can vito it or sign it. executive orders are not part of this power. the president said, i'm not comfortable with doing something this significant through executive orders relating to trying terrorists in military commissions. finally, it is basic law as reiterated by the supreme court as late as 2006 in the case of ham den versus rumsfeld that an executive order cannot trump or change executive law. the executive order is a piece of paper and will have no force and no effect. if one is concerned about preventing the exchanges that are established under the senate bill that we will be voting on in a few hours, then the only thing that one can do is vote against that senate bill to

preserve the hyde amendment from being expanded to programs that are created under the senate bill. i'm sorry, but the gentleman from michigan and the gentleman from california have misstated the law. it is pretty clear. and even the president said it during the campaign and the gentlewoman from florida, ms. wasserman schultz said it on tv earlier today. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. waxman: i yield one minute to the the gentleman from new york, an important member of our committee, who has played an very important role in this legislation, particularly as it relates to his state and other areas as well, the gentleman from new york, mr. engel, one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. mr. engel: madam speaker, i'm proud to be a member of congress that never as proud as i am tonight. tonight, we are finally going to pass comprehensive health care for the american people. my friends on the republic can

-- republican side of the aisle say the bill is flawed. not once did they try to pass health care. not even as they say we should do now. no longer when we get sick will the insurance companies say, sorry, we can't cover you. no longer if you lose your job or change your job, can you not keep your health insurance. you will be able to keep it. if you have a pre-existing condition, you won't be denied. if you are 26 years old, you can stay on your parents' policies. no annual cap or lifetime cap. we help seniors by closing the doughnut hole. we save money, c.b.o.-scored. everyone wins with this bill, but especially the american people. i'm proud that we are passing comprehensive health care. the current system is not sustainable financially and what we are doing means that everybody wins. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: i was going to yield to mr. pitts, but i see you standing there. i would yield 30 seconds to the the gentleman from oklahoma, mr. sullivan. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. mr. sullivan: i would like to thank congressman barton for yielding me time. and higher premiums, higher taxes and cutting medicare is not health care reform. republicans care about health care, but we don't care for this bill. unfortunately, the white house and congressional democrats are still insisting on their massive, 2,700-page bill that includes higher premiums, $500 billion in higher taxes and $500 billion in cuts to senior medicare. my son who is here this week, tommy sullivan, can consider that that's not reform. the bill will cause millions of

-- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. waxman: madam speaker, i'm pleased to yield at this time, one minute to the the gentlewoman from colorado, ms. did he get and -- degette. the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlewoman from from colorado is recognized for one minute. ms. degette: when you build a house, you have to put down a foundation. today, we are laying a foundation for a health care system that will provide every american with access to high quality health care, a foundation that will immediately ban insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, people like my childhood friend who lost his insurance when he got prostate cancer and later died too young, a foundation that will, beginning this year, give tax cuts to small businesses so they can offer affordable coverage to

their employees, a foundation that will now give parents of young adults the ability to keep their kids on their policies while they start their careers, a foundation that will finally give adults with pre-existing conditions the ability to buy affordable insurance. and starting right away, insurance companies cannot exclude children, like my own young daughter who has chronic conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, from coverage. madam speaker, this bill is just the foundation, we need to build on it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: i yield one minute to one of our best pro-life leaders in the house of representatives, mr. pitts of pennsylvania, one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for one minute. pitts pitts this bill violates --

mr. pitts: this bill violates the conscience of the american bill and should not spend more than we have. this bill is not reform and makes our existing entitlement crisis worse. this violates the belief held by 70% of americans that money collected by the government should not be used to pay for abortion or abortion coverage. that's what the bill does. regardless of the colloquy, an executive order doesn't trump a statute. the government will end up paying for abortions. tax paying subsidies will subsidize insurance coverage that include abortion. the bill and the accompanying executive order turns over the protection. this extreme legislation is being forced on an unwilling nation and most pro-abortion bill, the largest expansion of abortion in our history. no member who votes for it will ever be able to claim again that they have always stood on the side of the unborn.

this is a career-defining vote. there will be no backing down. i urge my colleagues to vote no. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. the gentleman will suspend. the house will be in order. members will please remove their conversations from the aisles and the back of the chamber. mr. waxman: i yield one minute to ms. capps who is an influential member of the health subcommittee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. mrs. capps: we have been trying to redo health care for decades. reforming health care is not only the right thing to do, it's a matter of life and death for the millions of americans who today lack health coverage. it is critical for all who suffer diseases that could have

been completely preventable or dealt with earlier had they had access to screenings. one thing our bill will now guarantee no more co-pays for preventive screening for diseases like cervical cancer or heart disease. as decades -- after decades as a nurse, i know this is the most important thing we can do to help the hell of our families. and i underscore the importance of universal access to preventive care because this will improve the lives of millions of families and save us all millions in avoidable health care costs. i know my constituents will improve the decisions. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton:. may i inquire as to the time remaining on each side for the

energy and commerce committee's control. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas controls 1/2 minute the gentleman from california controls three minutes. mr. barton: i'd like to yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from nebraska, the cornhusker state, mr. terry. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. terry: we all want all people to have access to affordable health care but this trillion-dollar tragedy is bad medicine. medical costs are high but this bill does nothing to help reduce costs. it does take $500 billion from medicare, resulting in cuts in service to seniors. it does raise taxes on many small businesses, including new mandates on businesses, and actually increase premiums as much as 13%. in committee, i introduced an amendment that gives people access to exactly the same care that we have as members of congress, but mr. markey and all the -- almost all the

democrats voted against it, all the republicans voted for it. last, the clear language of this bill allows abortion -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. terry: i encourage all members to vote against it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. waxman: i'm pleased to yield one toin minute to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. doyle who has played a significant role in bringing us together and has a great deal of responsibility for getting this bill to the point it is today. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. doyle: thank you, madam speaker. my office got a call today from mary ann ferguson, 91 years old from pittsburgh he asked me to vote for health reform because she wants everyone to get the coverage she has. she remembers before medicare, when half of our seniors worried about getting sick because they had no health insurance. today, millions of working americans fear getting sick because they don't have health coverage. one of those was bill kohler

from garrfield, pittsburgh. his sister kitty said that bill was a loving and generous man to his friends, family, and those in need. when he lost his job he lost his coverage. his new job as a pizza delivery driver earned too much to qualify for medicaid and private insurance wasn't going to cover his pre-existing heart condition, the very reason why he needed health insurance he died last year from a heart attack while driving home. so when i'm called to vote tonight, i will stand on the side of mary ann ferguson and bill kohler and the tens of millions of americans who need us to pass this bill. yes to health reform, yes to bill kohler. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expire. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognize. mr. barton: i'd like to yield for unanimous consent request to mr. rodgers of kentucky. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. rog -- mr. rogers: i ask unanimous

consent to revise and extend my remarks with regard to in flawed health bill. mr. barton: i'd like to yield for unanimous consent request to the gentlelady from tennessee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. blackburn: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this flawed bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barton: i'd like to yield for unanimous consent request to mr. gingrey of georgia. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gingrey: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in the strongest opposition to this flawed health care reform bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barton: madam speaker, i'd like to yield to unanimous consent to the gentleman from the pelican state, mr. scalise. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. scalise: i move to revise and extend my remarks against this health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barton: finally, madam speaker, i would like to yield

45 seconds to another member of the committee, the distinguished mr. mike rogs of the great state of michigan. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. rogers: thank you, madam speaker. if this bill were so great, why the deception? i have never seen such behavior in my entire time in politics. if you like your health care, you can keep it, not true if you read the bill. 10 years of taxes, six years of services. they steal money from the social security trust fund and cut half a trillion dollars from medicare. not only that, madam speaker, but this pits one american against another in the cause of health care for the first time in our history. if you're a florida senior citizen, you get to keep medicare advantage. if you're from the other 49 states, you do not. there is dirty deal after dirty deal after dirty deal in the bill this house will vote on. it is a disgrace. it's wrong. america deserves better and i yield back the remainder of my

time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expire. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. waxman: i yield one minute to the gentlelady from illinois, a member of our committee and the health subcommittee, janice schakowsky, one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. schakowsky: i want to express my profound thanks to the people of illinois' ninth district, the place i was born and lived nearly all my life for the privilege of being here tonight to cast my vote for this historic health care measure. my life's work has been to answer what is at bottom a moral question, will the united states of america continue to allow our people to lose their live, their homes, and their fundamental sense of security or finally decide that a proud and wealthy country like our has an ethical obligation to provide access to health care for everybody? is it even credible to think a country as rich as ours in so

many ways can't afford to do this? i am so proud that today this house under the leadership of perhapses the most effective speak for the u.s. history, nancy pelosi, will say to all those parents agonizing other a sick child who is now excluded from insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition, sleep well. our courageous and visionary president, barack obama, when he signs law, that problem will end. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. ms. schakowsky: this is a great day for america. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expire the gentlewoman from illinois is rereminded to please heed the gavel. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. barton: how much time do i have left? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has 55 seconds remaining. mr. barton: 55 seconds. i'm going to yield to the gentleman from texas, dr. burgess, 15 of those precious 55 seconds.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for 15 seconds. mr. burgess: i thank the gentleman for yielding. it's really a shame we have this health care bill in front of us. we have provisions now for 17,000 new i.r.s. agents. but not $1 for a new nurse or doctor. you know what, you'll have access all right. but you may be getting your prenatal care from turbotax. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the house will be in order. the chair reminds all persons in the gallery they are here as guests of the house and that any manifestation of approval or disapproval of proceedings or other audible conversation is in violation of the rules of the house. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. waxman: madam speaker, for the purpose of unanimous consent request i want to yield to a member of our committee from the state of washington,

mr. inslee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for a unanimous consent request. mr. inslee: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks, in strong support for this american health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman will be charged. mr. weatherman: madam speaker for the purpose of unanimous consent request i yield to the gentleman from texas, mr. edwards. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. edwards: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from california. five seconds remaining. mr. waxman: at this time i yield one minute to the gentlelady from the state of wisconsin -- the speaker pro tempore: the speaker reminds the gentleman from california that you have 55 seconds remaining. mr. waxman: i yield the balance of our time to the gentlelady

from wisconsin, ms. baldwin. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for 55 seconds. ms. baldwin: thank you, madam speaker. what this all boils down to is, whose side are you on? madam speaker i rise today on behalf of the 13,500 people in my district who will finally have access to health insurance because of this measure. i rise for the thousand families in south central wisconsin who will be protected from medical bankruptcy this year because of this effort. and i rise today because of the 539,000 constituents who will see their coverage improve because of the work we've done. madam speaker, i rise with pride and hope in the promise of this health care reform bill. there is no doubt that powerful interests have strenuously oppose red form and they've often resorted to tactics that could make no one proud. nothing can sully the pride i feel today in taking this

critical step in providing health coverage for all americans. i worked my entire career to achieve health care for all. today we stand on the floor of the people's house, ready to pass this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expire. the gentleman from texas has 40 seconds remaining. mr. barton: i yield myself the balance of the time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. barton: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barton: madam speaker, this bill will not last. it is based on a fatal assumption that one party acting unilaterally can dictate the entire will of the american people on 1/6 of the economy that will not happen. it reignites the abortion debate. it is fatally flawed in its assumptions in terms of balancing the budget and deficit reduction and it will take away coverage from

millions of people if it gets as far as 2014 and you kick in the option that puts all these mandates on employers. please vote no. let's go back to start over, let's start from scratch and do a bill that everybody can support. vote no on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, is recognized for 15 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: thank you, madam speaker, i yield myself one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. levin: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. levin: we come to this floor for thousands of votes each year, but no single vote comes with so many personal stories. within our families and my own, in our district, people have spoken out about the need for

real reform. the millions and millions delsh the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will suspend. members and staff are reminded to remove their conversations from the floor of the chamber. the gentleman deserves to be heard. mr. levin: thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognize plsmed levin: the millions and millions who have health insurance now worry about losing it. the average premium for employer-based insurance is more than doubled in the last 10 years. i heard from a woman that had worked for a large company, started her own franchise, and she writes, i quote, i exhausted my cobra, then joined a group health plan. several years ago, hade open health surge -- open heart surgery. the insurance group disbanded, no insurance company would tump me with a 10-foot pole. i was just diagnosed with my second bout of breast cancer. i heard from a young man he was

diagnosed with cancer, he was laid off, uninsured, when he started to get sick again he had to turn to emergency rooms for care. i yield myself 15 additional seconds. republicans have turned their backs on the problem. some say health care reform makes us a different nation. today in the tradition of america we will pass health care reform, we will make beloved america a still better nation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan, mr. camp, is recognized for 10 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. camp: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. camp: the american people have spoken. they do not want the tentacles of the federal government reaching into their lives and controlling their personal health care decisions. yet that is exactly what will happen under the democrats' health care bill. federal bureaucrats will be

making your health care choices for you and your family and the i.r.s. will be enforcing them. the american people know you can't reduce health care costs by spending $1 trillion or raising taxes by more than half a trillion dollars. the american people know you cannot cut medicare by over half a trillion dollars without hurting seniors and he american people know you can't create an entirely new government entitlement program without exploding the deficit. they're right. and the nonpartisan congressional budget office has confirmed it. simply put, the democrats' bill will not only ruin our health care system but the tax increases will ruin our economy and kill jobs. i urge my colleagues to listen to the american people and kill the bill. i reserve my time. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is

recognized. mr. levin: it's now my real privilege to yield one minute to the distinguished the gentleman from new york, mr. rangel, who has given decades and decades of service to this congress, to new york and to the people of america. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. mr. rangel: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection.. mr. rangel: one of the lowest points in my political career was when i asked for a leave of absence from the chairmanship of the ways and means committee. i had thought at that time with my feeling of how important it would be for the entire nation to have access to quality health care, that i did not want to do anything or be anywhere to distract from our leadership, nancy pelosi, our leader, steny hoyer, or jim clyburn and the

workers and dedicated staff to get out the first bill on this most important subject. and i am now, when people ask, well, how do you feel and how are you today, i can report that this has been one of the most historic moments in my life, to be privileged to serve in this great body and to be a part of this legislation that i know that no matter how long anybody has been in this great legislative body, people will ask, which side have you been on? and thank god i'm on the right side. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from mi3 the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from michigan, mr. camp, is recognized. mr. camp: i yield 45 seconds to a distinguished member of the ways and means committee, the

gentleman from california. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. herger: the american people have spoken again and again. they do not want to spend nearly $1 trillion on new government health care program paid by raising taxes and raiding the medicare trust fund. they don't want to force everyone to buy government-approved health insurance or subsidized health plans that cover abortions. and they don't want a 2,400-page bill riddled with back-room deals. madam speaker, americans are watching and know what's at stake. let's reject this destructive legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. levin: madam speaker, i next recognize the distinguished the gentleman from georgia in terms of seniority. i would like to note that our

colleague, mr. stark, is going to be submitting a statement to the record. i'm now pleased to yield one minute to the very distinguished the gentleman from georgia, mr. john lewis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. mr. lewis: mr. speaker, this may be the most important vote that we cast as members of this body. we have a moral obligation today, tonight, to make health care a right and not a privilege. there are those who have told us to start over. there are those who have told us to wait and told us to be patient. we cannot wait. we cannot be patient. the american people need health care and they need it now. on this day, at this hour, stand with the american people and not

with the big insurance companies. on this day, on this moment, in this chamber, answer the call of history. answer the spirit of history and pass health care. yield the american people a victory. give health care a chance. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the house will be in order. the gentleman from michigan, mr. camp, is recognized. mr. camp: i yield 45 seconds to a true american hero, distinguished member of the ways and means committee, the gentleman from texas. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. johnson: unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. johnson: today's vote defines what kind of america we want to live in. i know what that is, it's the

america i fought and sacrificed for and all the freedoms we hold dear, freedom from a $2.6 trillion takeover of health care, freedom from skyrocketing taxes, freedom from bureaucrats coming between you and your doctor, freedom from medicare cuts to seniors, freedom from exploding debt, freedom from the government forcing you to buy health insurance. i ask my colleagues, what kind of legacy do you want to leave for your children and grandchildren? will you cave to the demands of speaker pelosi or listen to the pleas of the hard-working american people who elected you. join me in this fight for freedom. vote no. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, is recognized. mr. levin: it's now my privilege to yield one minute to the very distinguished the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. neal.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. mr. neal: this is the most significant day, madam speaker. health insurance reform has been coming for a long time and we are finally here. with passage of this bill, american families are going to take back control of their health care. this bars insurance companies from discriminating, it caps out-of-pocket expenses. half the bankruptcy are due to health-related matters. this bill allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable insurance from competitive marketplaces. it contains cost controls that will save $138 billion and for parents who are watching tonight, your dependents can stay on your insurance until 26. no one has defended social security and medicare the way i have. and i must tell you tonight, mr. speaker, i can't believe that anybody who is witnessing this debate would believe for one minute that our republican friends have been better in history on medicare than we have

been. it's in our d.n.a. this is a defining moment. the solutionary and discriminatory tactics that are in our system become history as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: i yield 45 seconds to the the gentleman from texas. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. brady: the government promises you health care. when forced to buy the government-approved plan or face the tax man, you comply. the costs didn't go down. it went up. it takes now three months to see a doctor. when you need care, the government plan denies it four times more often than your insurance company. now the government's short on money. they started rationing care. cutting hospital payments and withdrawing coverage and it has been three years since it all

began. folks, this isn't a feature, this is massachusetts today. higher costs, lower care, rationing. that's why massachusetts said no to obamacare, and america is saying no, too, because bigger government doesn't mean better health care. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i would like to yield to the the gentleman from new york for a unanimous consent. >> i ask unanimous consent that the remarks i delivered at the american cancer society in east syracuse on tuesday of this week be submitted into the record in support of this historic health care reform bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. levin: mr. speaker, it's my privilege to yield one minute to the distinguished the gentleman from california for the purpose of a col key -- colloquy.

oh, he's not here yet. mr. doggett, i think you are next, distinguished the gentleman from texas, for one minute. the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. doggett: so very fearful of being held accountable, giant insurance monopoly has spent millions spewing out anger and fear. we have not seen such outlandish arguments since the forces that tried to block president johnson. for republicans, our bill is too long or it's too short. it's too thick or it's too thin. it's never just right, because their true answer to health insurance reform is never, never, never. our determined efforts should not be derided as a four-letter word, but you could certainly sum up our many, many pages with four words, you got health care. with this reform, every insured

american gets valuable consumer protections. and every uninsured american can become insured. 32 million americans protected from the risk of bankruptcy from health care. the bill restrains insurance premiums, reduces deficits. it has, but many americans -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the chair will remind all members to heed the gavel. the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: i yield 45 seconds to the zwirbled the gentleman from georgia, dr. linder. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. linder: thank you, mr. speaker and i thank the gentleman from michigan yielding. 85% of america is insured. 95% of those people are happy with their insurance. but the other 15% uninsured,

they consume 70% on average as much insurance as those who are insured. the lady in cleveland that has been referred to is being cared for at the cleveland clinic. so what are we to do with the 15%? why not take over a 16% of the economy? $2.5 trillion program that will zry health care to the 85% who are happy to find health care for the 15% who are not insured. this has never been about health care. this is about government. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i yield one minute to the very distinguished the gentleman from california, mr. thompson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: i have worked for access for quality affordable health care since day one of the first day of my campaign. today with the passage of this bill, we will be closer to that

important goal than ever before. when the president signs this bill into law, insurance companies won't be able to drop your coverage if you get sick. kids won't be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. young adults will be able to stay on their parents' policy until they're 26. small business owners will be eligible for a tax credit. seniors will see the medicare doughnut hole start to close. and preventative care will be covered without co-pay. the bill is paid for and will reduce our debt. in my district, 63,000 uninsured residents will have access to coverage and will save my district $70 million. this bill is a great start toward health care reform and will help millions of americans afford quality health care. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: i yield 45 seconds to the g