the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. nunes: this debate is not about the uninsured, but about socialized medicine. today we are turning back the clock. for most of the 20th century most fled the ghost of communist dictators and now you are bringing it back. with passage of this bill, they will haunt americans for generations. their bill continues the soviets' failed socialist experiment. it gives the federal government absolute control over health care in america. my friends, that is what this debate is really about. today, democrats in this house will finally lay the cornstone of their utopia on the backs of the american people. say no to socialism. say no to toe tall -- and no to

this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. levin: i yield one minute to the chair of our caucus, the distinguished the gentleman from connecticut, mr. larson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. larson: it is my high honor to yield my time to someone who has always understood whose side he is on, the gentleman from michigan, mark shower. -- schauer. . mr. schauer: they've been dropped and denied coverage by insurance companies for pre-existing conditions or because they got sick. they're going broke because of their medical bills. i stand for the elderly in my district who fall into the doughnut hole. who must choose between food and medicine. and i stand for small businesses who plead for help to put an end to double-digit premium increases that make them choose between jobs and health care. all of these things will end with the passage of this bill.

the question of the day is, whose side are you on? i'm on the people's side. not on the side of the powerful special interests who have spent millions to kill this bill. cutting through all of the deception, misrepresentation and lies i stand with the people. i urge you to do what's right and vote yes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. >> mr. speaker, i yield 45 seconds to a distinguished member of the ways and means committee, the gentleman from ohio, mr. tiberi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. tiberi: mr. speaker, i'm for health care reform but not this version. this is a bad bill. it does nothing to address the cost of health care. this bill increases taxes on individuals and employers. it cuts medicare and adds debt to future generations. but don't take my word father it, mr. speaker, my hometown newspaper has published three editorials this last week against the bill, suggesting, and i quote, it is incredible that 1/6 of the u.s. economy and the health of every american could be subjected to massive

government intervention based on such fiscal dishonesty and secrecy. mr. speaker this bill does nothing to reform our health care system. it adds people to a broken system and i ask unanimous consent, mr. speaker, to add these three editorials to the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: it's now my real privilege to yield to another member, an energetic member of our committee, mr. kind from wisconsin. mr. kind: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. kind: mr. speaker, i will never forget the pride i felt as a 6-year-old kid in wisconsin watching neil article strong walk on the moon. it was a deep and abiding belief that i live in a country that's capable of accomplishing anything once we put our mind to it. that belief is being tested throughout america today. people are wondering if we're stip capable of doing great things -- still capable of doing great things. i believe we can and i want my two boys to feel the same way.

i believe our country by working together can ensure that all americans have access to quality, affordable and secure health care regardless if they're young or old. whether they're rich or poor, and even whether they have a pre-depifting -- pre-existing condition. and we can do this in a fiscally responsible manner by paying for this bill and finding savings that will reduce the national deficit in future years. that national achievement can begin today, this evening, with our vote. i encourage my colleagues to support this health care reform for all americans and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the chair will note that the gentleman from michigan has 4 1/2 minutes remaining. and the gentleman from michigan has 6 3/4 minutes remaining. 6 3/4 minutes remaining. the gentleman from michigan. >> why doesn't the gentleman from michigan go forward so we can keep the time somewhat even?

mr. levin: ok. it's now my privilege to yield one minute to our vice chair and the distinguished gentleman from california, mr. about a sess a -- becerra. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. becerra: i thank the gentleman. mr. speaker, today is a day of history, today we will accomplish what 100 years of congresses could not, we will pass health care reform, not just for some but for all americans. today's also another day in america. that means that 123 americans will die today because they do not have health insurance. another 8,000 will lose their health insurance today and our health care system will cost all of us $6,800,000,000 this day and every day if we do not change, if we are content with doing nothing. john f. kennedy once said, change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. i've heard it said another way.

the only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. today this house, the people's house, is full of life. we will make history, but our sights are toward the future. to every hardworking taxpaying american we say today, we hear you, we see it in your eyes, you want control of your health care, you want to decide who your doctor is. you want to choose your health plan. we will deliver today to all of america. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. >> at this time i yield 45 seconds to a distinguished member of the ways and means committee, the gentlewoman from florida, ms. brown-waite. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from is recognized for 35 second disease -- the gentlewoman is recognized for 45 seconds. ms. brown-waite: democrats on the other side of the aisle believe that the american citizens can no longer be trusted to manage their own health care in the best way they see fit. you must now do things in their socialist way or face the wrath of the i.r.s. unfortunately the size of the

federal government isn't the only thing that's going to grow as a result of this bill. so will your insurance premiums because the cost of insurance will grow. that's right. the bill increases premiums for every american who has insurance. our national debt will grow. your taxes will grow. the only thing that won't grow are the benefits that the seniors who are in the medicare advantage plan have. they will be losing their doctors because doctors are refusing to take medicare patients and will once this bill becomes law. mr. speaker, cuts medicare, raises social security and we need to reject this bill -- raids social security and we need to reject this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i noud yield one minute to -- i now yield one minute to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pascrell. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. pascrell: thank you, mr. chairman, thank you, mr. speaker. you know, many things are said

across the aisle in the heat of a debate. and if it hasn't been said yet, maybe the reason it has been said by everybody. i believe that the ranking member's an honorable person, i believe my chairman is. but you really hit rock bottom when you accuse us on this side of the aisle of not caring about our veterans. even the president of the national -- the vietnam veterans of america said this is shameless. you're fear mongering, it's not right, tell the truth and then let the chipping fall where it may. it's utterly dishonest to suggest, mr. chairman, that we are seeking to deny any soldier the health care they deserve and the benefits that nearly all republicans and democrats have spent our careers in congress working to protect and prove. why need we go to that? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired.

time has -- the gentleman's time has expired. mr. camp: i ask that the gentleman's words be taken down for the false statements. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey will be seated. the clerk will report the words.

the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey rise? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to remove any word or words that were taken as offensive. the speaker pro tempore: is there objection? without objection, the words

will be stricken. the chair will -- the chair -- keep in mind, all members that any statements should be directed through the chair and not individually at any other member. >> mr. speaker, in the course of a -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from kansas. state your parliamentary inquiry. >> is it true that in the course of comfortable debate that we not question another member's motives? the speaker pro tempore: members must maintain proper standard -- mr. tiahrt: is it against house rules to question another member's motives?

mr. faleomavaega: every member and remarks should -- the speaker pro tempore: every member and remarks. mr. tiahrt: thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: i yield to an army ranger, mr. davis from kentucky. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. davis: this bill will define the america will be in america, rationed care and intrusive bureaucracy. they are thwarting the will of the american people, taking them on a head-long rush towards socialism. mr. speaker, the house is not in order. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is correct. the house will be in order. conversations in the back and in the aisles should be taken somewhere else. on both sides. the gentleman from kentucky.

mr. davis: thank you, mr. speaker. this is based on a false premise that every need a person can have on earth can be met by government. like the worshipers bound in blood and sacrificed on the alter of political expediency, it violates taxes, policed by the i.r.s., intrudes on free choice and hurts seniors. i stand firm in my opposition to this exercise in statism, a true tyranny that is the largest, legislative transfer to the power of the executive branch in the history of this republic. vote no on this bill. start over with real reforms that americans want. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan.

mr. levin: it is now my pleasure to yield 45 seconds to the very distinguished gentleman from new york, mr. crowley. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. crowley: mr. speaker, i rise in support of the patients protection and affordable america act, which will put families first in accessing health care coverage. americans need this bill more than ever. in the past decade the coast of health care has simply skyrocketed. if we do nothing it will get worse. in we do nothing in 10 years small businesses will shell out $29,000 in medical costs per employee. if we do nothing the cost of an employer-supports ord health care plan will increase by 84% by 2016. and if we do nothing, the american economy will break under the weight of mounting debt. americans may very well be tired of the endless media coverage regarding this debate, but they know as we do that we have a serious problems when it

comes to health care that needs to be fixed. simply put, health care reform is good medicine for america and good medicine for american businesses. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the chair will remind both sides to heed the gavel. the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i yield 45 seconds to a distinguished member of the ways and means committee, the gentleman from washington state. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. reichert: thank you, mr. speaker. the american people have spoken loud and clear. they don't want takeover of health care. billions of dollars in new taxes on small businesses, over $1 trillion in new spending, and it hurts our seniors and special needs population by taxing hearing aids, pace makers and wheelchairs. we have heard it if you like it we can keep it. not according to this president who said recently, i think some of the provisions that got snuck in might have violated that pledge. we need to start over.

and today i stand with americans who want the freedom to choose their own health care. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i yield to the gentleman from north carolina for unanimous consent. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north carolina is recognized. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i ask unanimous consent to put my statement in the record for the young man by the name of will who tonight will be able to get insurance for the first time he was born with a pre-existing condition. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from michigan will be charged time. mr. levin: i ask unanimous consent to yield to the gentleman from pennsylvania for unanimous consent. >> let me thank the gentleman. i seek unanimous consent to put into the record that i -- my support for the health care reform bill in honor of a friend of mine, linda taylor, who died because of the lack of

insurance in a breast cancer illness that she faced. we are -- we're done. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from michigan will be charged time consumed. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i yield 45 seconds -- i wish i could yield more to our distinguished colleague from maryland, mr. van hollen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. van hollen: thank you, mr. speaker. they called it a dangerous device invented in nazi germany, and the method of imposing stalinism. those were the statements made by the opponents of medicare, medicare that now provides health coverage to 45 million americans. this legislation will ensure that 32 million more americans have access to affordable health care and that no american is held hostage to the abusive practices of the insurance industry. as in 1965, we have the rhetoric of mass distortions. this morning republican leader

boehner said this bill means arm geton. the day after -- armageddon. the day after this is signed by president obama, america will see the world is not coming to an end, that there are no death panels. they will begin to see a system that works for them, not the insurance industry that is spending millions of dollars to kill the bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. camp: at this time, mr. speaker, i yield 45 seconds to a distinguished member of the ways and means committee, dr. boustany of louisiana. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. boustany: thank you, mr. speaker. we all have compassion for those who are struggling, those who lost jobs, those who lack access to health care. we all want to do what's right for our country. we all want to solve these problems. but as i look at this massive, complex and partisan bill, i see premiums continuing to rise for families and abject failure to control health care costs for families and businesses. i see huge tax increases coupled with irresponsible cuts

to medicare services. all to expand new coverage entitlements where physician access will worsen, continuing to burden our strapped emergency rooms. mr. speaker, frankly i see a sequel to the modern greek fiscal tragedy unfolding before us with the potential for default. we have a duty -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. boustany: we have to duty to reform health care but an obligation to get it right. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i now yield 45 seconds to a very senior member of our committee, mr. mcdermott of washington. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. mcdermott: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. mcdermott: mr. speaker, there are times in history that action is demanded. in 1935 we needed social security and unemployment insurance. the democrats answered.

in 1965 we needed health care for senior citizens. the democrats answered. in 2010 the country needs health care reform and the democrats will answer tonight. it was never in doubt, businesses wanted a change, the medical profession wanted a change and labor wanted a change and the republicans brought an economic collapse to make it clear to everybody that we all are in danger if we don't change the health care system in this country. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: at this time, mr. speaker, i yield 45 seconds to a distinguished member of the ways and means committee, the gentleman from nevada, mr. heller. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. heller: i thank the gentleman for yielding. mr. speaker, thousands of nevadaans have been surveyed and an overwhelming number oppose the government takeover of health care. yet, 2/3 of nevada's delegation will defy their constituents and vote with their leadership

instead. this $2.6 trillion legislation will raise nevada taxes, kill nevada jobs, remove nevada seniors from medicare and saddle the state of nevada with budget-busting mandates. i urge my colleagues from nevada to speak for nevada, not their beltway ben factors, when casting -- benefactors, when casting their vote today. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i now yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from oregon, a member of the committee, mr. blumenauer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. blumenauer: today's victory for health care reform and coverage for 32 million americans is not just the culmination of 15 months of hard work in this congress. it represents the historic accomplishments sought by presidents and members of congress dating back to teddy roosevelt, that the accomplish was achieved in the midst of

difficult economic times, a toxic political environment without any bipartisan support makes it all the more remarkable. passage tonight will start making a difference for our families this year, and most important, the bill is fully paid for, we're reforming medicare, we improve the quality of health care in this country and we reduce the deficits. tonight's victory starts america on the road to better health and economic security. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. camp: thank you, mr. speaker. before i yield i'd like to remind the chair that medicare and social security passed with a large bipartisan majority. i yield -- mr. levin: regular order. mr. camp: 45 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from the ways and means committee, the gentleman from illinois. >> while i thank the gentleman for yielding. and, mr. speaker, just because it's historic doesn't mean it's good. i think we got to be reminded of that. let's think back to history when something was good and that was when alexander

hamilton said regarding on our constitution he said, here, sir, the people govern. we would be wise to listen to the american people. the american people have said no to the abc's of pelosi care. they have said no to the arrogance of this bill. they have said no to the budget-bustings of this bill. in illinois a manufacture called caterpillar said next year alone -- it will cost the company $100 million. what does that do to a state that is left roff shod by underpromises on -- rauf shod by underpromise -- roughshod by underpromises? the speaker pro tempore: the chair will moment that the gentleman from michigan has no time remaining. the gentleman from michigan has 1 1/2 minutes remaining. mr. levin: i now yield 45 seconds to the distinguished

gentleman illinois, mr. davis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds. mr. davis: mr. speaker, when i was growing up, our parents always taught us that right was right if nobody was right, and that wrong was wrong if everybody was wrong. well, i can tell you it would be wrong to deny 32 million additional americans the right to health insurance coverage. it would be wrong to keep people cooped up in institutions -- couped up in institutions when they could live at home. it would be wrong to keep senior citizens struggling to try and pay for their prescriptions. let's do the right thing. let's vote for this legislation . give 32 million people the right to have insurance coverage. let's do the right thing and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: did we gain five

seconds? how much time do we have left? the speaker pro tempore: you have 3/4 of a minute. mr. levin: for unanimous consent only i now yield to the gentlelady from new york, the gentlelady from california and the gentleman from minnesota. mrs. maloney: i thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership. i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in support of the health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: i yield to the gentleman from minnesota. mr. ellison: i ask unanimous consent that my remarks in favor of health care be inserted in the record. len levin the gentlelady from california. ms. richardson: i rise in support of this health care legislation and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. levin: i now yield the balance of my time to the very distinguished the gentlelady from florida -- very disting

wished gentlelady from florida, ms. wasserman schultz. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for 45 seconds. ms. wasserman schultz: i rise to support health care and put doctors and patients in control of their health care. when i do i'll cast it for the small business owner in my district whose insurance shot up 100% last year because one employee got sick. i'll cast it for the 135,000 people in my district who don't have health insurance. on a personal note, i'll cast it for the 2 1/2 million breast cancer survivors like me who have a pre-existing condition that makes it next to impossible to obtain health insurance. finally, i'll cast it for all the moms in health care who have beautiful children like mine but don't have the security of health insurance and who die inside every time their child gets sick. our current system is broken. it's un-american. the nightmare ends tonight. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: all time has expired.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california, mr. miller, is recognized for 50 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: mr. speaker, i yield

two minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. andrews, a member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. andrews: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. andrews: thank you, mr. speaker. and i thank my chairman for yielding. the ladies and gentlemen of the house should respect our constituents who are against the bill, who are for the bill and those who are undecided. but we should respect them enough to give them an accurate record of what's in the bill. and i think it's time for some accuracy. we've heard repeatedly tonight that there are cuts to medicare in this bill. there is not one cut to not one beneficiary anywhere in this bill. medicare benefits expand for prescription drugs and expand for preventative care. we heard someone say that the bill increases premiums for americans. section 1,001 of the reconciliation bill says that

for a family making 45,000 a year, if you look at their premiums, their co-pays and their deductibles, which is what real people have to do, the bill saves them $7,000 a year. we've heard that the special interest provisions that i think are an abomination are in the bill, they're not. if you read section 1,201 of the reconciliation bill it says goodbye to the so-called cornhusker kickback and other special interest provisions. we're heard that there are -- there is taxpayer funding of abortions. read section 1,-- 10,104 of the underlying bill. there isn't. we've heard that this is going to add to the deficit and the debt of the country. don't listen to what the democrats say, don't listen to what the republicans say, listen to what the nonpartisan congressional budget office says which is this, the bill will save $138 billion off the

deficit in the first 10 years and $1.2 trillion off the deficit in the next 10 years. and finally we hear the bill will kill jobs. when the clinton economic plan was on this floor, a gentleman named dick army, a leader of the anti-movement on this bill, said it would be, quote, a recipe for disaster. he was wrong. that bill created 23 million new jobs and we should vote -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. andrews: i just ask for 15 more seconds. i finally heard one of our colleague say this bill will create a socialist utopia. no, mr. speaker, it won't. it will create a decent society that every man, woman and child in this society, in this country so richly deserve. vote yes on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from minnesota, mr. kline, is recognized for eight minutes as the designee of the minority leader. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself 1 1/2 minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman is recognized. mr. kline: i came to congress seven years ago to do my part to make this country better. every vote i cast and every policy i help shape must be judged by whether achieves what my constituents sent me here to -- here to accomplish. as each member of this, the people's house, prepares to vote yea or anyway tonight -- nay tonight, we should all take a moment to remind ourselves of why we are here. our job is to ensure american employers have the tools and freedom they need to sustain jobs and create jobs. instead, this bill will destroy jobs at a time when we need them the most. our job is to ensure freedom, security and prosperity for future generations. instead, this bill will be paid for by our children and our zpwrands grandchildren and our great-grandchildren. our job is to legislation openly with integrity and fairness. instead this bill is full of backroom deals negotiated behind closed doors. this bill is not what the american people want.

they're imploring to us start over with reforms that will bring down health care costs while preserving the relationship between patients and their doctors. this is our last chance to stand up for the people who sent us here and display the courage to prove that we can do better. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentleman from connecticut, mr. courtney, a member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. courtney: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, tonight we are going to answer a question which the tee party on the -- tea party on right to reformers on the left ask constantly which is why can't the american people have access to the same type of benefits that members have? it's a good question. some of the most his it errcal voices in op -- hysterical voices in opposition have access to a purchasing exchange through the federal employees benefit plan which has comprehensive benefits, choice, no rescissions, no lifetime caps and this bill is going to give the american people exactly what members of congress have and in case there's any question about that, section 1312 will make sure that starting in 2014

members of congress have to use exactly the same purchasing exchange that the american people will have to use. no more haves and have nots, no more tax paying americans who don't have health insurance underwriting to help benefits members of congress who would deny them access to quality, affordable health care. it is time to answer that question tonight in the affirmative by passing this legislation. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i'm pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from georgia, the ranking member of the health employment, labor and pension subcommittee, dr. price. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. price: thank you, mr. speaker. health care decisions that would make for ourselves and for our families are some of the most important and personal in our lives. as a physician, early in my career of caring for tens of thousands of patients, i recognized that there were more folks in washington who affected

what i could do for and with my patients than anybody i ever made in residency or medical school and that that was wrong. health care, taking care of people is a moral endeavor and should be grown grounded in principle. and if the principles that we hold dear for health care are applied to this debate and to this bill, the picture is not pretty. accessibility, being able to receive care, affordability, being able to afford care, quality, receiving the best care available, responsiveness, having a system that works for patients and innovation, being certain that we have the newest and the best treatments and choices. patients being able to choose their physicians and how and where they're treated. all of these are harmed by this bill. all of these principles are violated. none of these principles are improved by the further intervention of the federal government. so you see, mr. speaker, mostly this is bad for patients, for all americans. the trust that is necessary between caregiver and care receiver, between patients and

their doctors, to believe that your health is not being undermined by the system will be permanently eroded, permanently damaged. and it is that trust that is the foundation of the morality of health care. so this is a sad day, yes. because there are so many wonderful and positive and patient-centered solutions that could be enacted. you see, we trust patients and families. they trust government. as a physician i know when patients and their families and their doctors are not allowed to decide what care they receive, we lose more than our health care system. we lose or morality. we lose our freedom. the positive vote, the patient-centered vote, the bipartisan vote on this bill is a no. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from california, ms. woolsey, a member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. woolsey: mr. speaker, the whole nation desperately needs health care reform. but no group of americans needs

it more than women who face discrimination and at the hands of the broken stats kyo every single day. we all know that the current system allows insurance companies to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions. but i wonder how many of my colleagues realize that essentially being a woman is a pre-existing condition. pregnancy, for example, or c-sections can be deemed pre-existing conditions. and most unbelievable of all, insurance companies can legally turn their backs on women who have suffered injuries due to domestic violence. because that, too, can be defined as a pre-existing condition. we should all be ashamed of a system that puts healthy insurance company profits ahead of healthy american women. this weekend we will -- today, tonight we will make history by passing a health care bill that will correct these injustices and no longer will females be

considered a pre-existing condition. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time it is my great pleasure to yield two minutes to the gentleman from kentucky, the ranking member of the higher education, life-long learning and competitive subcommittee, mr. guthrie, two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. guthrie: thank you, mr. speaker. i've always liked to describe the process i've seen in the last few weeks of trying to put a bill together like putting a puzzle together, but forces pieces together and trying to make them fit and in the end the puzzle doesn't have a complete picture. and one of the pieces they're trying to make fit to keep this bill you understand $1 trillion is what the score is, but we're not mentioning is the incredible funded mandate that we're placing oun our states. just a consume of -- couple of years ago i was a state senator and tonight state senators in kentucky, my former colleagues, are meeting together to try to close a billion-dollar budget gap. and what does this bill do? this bill puts a $30 billion

unfunded mandate by c.b.o. estimates onto our states. to the south of kentucky, a very respected democratic governor of tennessee says this is the mother of all unfunded mandates. and just to the north of me in indiana, governor daniels said a half a million more hoosiers will be on medicaid, costing the state taxpayers billions of dollars. it's going to cost my state, according to the heritage foundation, $303 million from 2014 to 2019. we'll be budgeting for 2014, so the state legislators tonight, hoping the economy will turn around, maybe there will be light at the end of the tunnel, or now having to deal with the $303 million freight train that's at light at the end of that tunnel. this takes student loan money to finance this bull bill. the government is taking over the student loan business, they have lower interest rates, instead of lowering the rate, our students are going to be

paying back on their interest rate, we're going to take part of that money and fund this bill on the backs of our students. mr. speaker, it's unfair to put these burdens on our states and our students. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentleman from arizona, mr. grijalva, a member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. grijalva: thank you, mr. speaker. and today i rise in full support of the legislation to reform health care before us. it is indeed a historic opportunity for the american people to begin the necessary process of fixing a failing and broken health care system that is costly and denies basic health care to many, to 48 million americans in this country. it is also a tremendous building block for the care of people in this country in the future. and to begin to rein in the greed of private insurance companies that continue to raise premiums at the expense of the american people. this legislation has very good

aspects in it, one of them is, finally, after 10 years of neglect by republican majority and administration, indian health care is part of this legislation. and this health care brings necessary and increased resources to indian country. we begin to deal with health disparities in this legislation which we have not done in the past. i am proud to support this legislation, it is not just a step forward, it is a historic leap into bringing to the american people their necessary reality which is health care. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. can i inquire as to the time? i know we have a mismatch here because of how the two sides are managed at this time. but i'm just curious. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california has 9 3/4 minutes remaining, the gentleman from minnesota has three minutes remaining. mr. kline: i thank you, mr. speaker. then at this time i'm pleased to yield one minute to the gentlewoman from illinois, a senior member of the education

and labor committee, mrs. biggert. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. mrs. biggert: mr. speaker, i rise today deeply troubled. not just by this bill but by the historic opportunity this body has squandered. we had so longed to get this right. so many chances to take a step back and listen, really listen to what the american people were asking us. instead true leadership was cast aside in favor of backroom deals, partisan games and legislatic givics. the -- gimmicks. the best intentions on both sides of the aisle never had a chance to turn good ideas into great policy. and we were left with a bill that is so poorly crafted that we're voting to overhaul it the same day it is going to the president. but the american people still have a choice. it is not between this partisan bill or not. we can work together to deliver the commonsense reforms that the american people want. mr. speaker, i know many colleagues have been struggling with this vote. i urge them to vote no and work

with us to pass reforms we can all be proud of, that we can all vote for. mr. speaker, i vote no. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from new hampshire, ms. shea-porter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. shea-porter: tonight i will vote for the middle class. i heard kids kicked off their plan before they even had a job. this allows 30% of young americans to stay on their parents' plan until age 26. i have listened as the new hampshire small business owners told me they were embarrassed they could no longer insure faithful employees. this bill is their emdei. i heard those who lost -- this bill is for their families. i listened as hospitals said the cost. one told me he paid $500 for prescriptions every three

months because of the doughnut hole, thank you. i heard you and all seniors. i heard one who has a chronically ill daughter. now mo more pre-existing condition exclusions. for those in new hampshire and across america, i vote for you. the speaker pro tempore: time has expired. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself the balance of the time -- of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. earlier this month president obama said, quote, everything there is to say about health care has been said. and just about everyone has said it, closed quote. perhaps he's right. perhaps everyone in washington has said all there is to say. the lines have been drawn and the number of undecided votes is dwindling. but perhaps it's time for washington to stop talking and start listening.

i'm listening to the calls coming into my office 13-1 against this legislation. i'm listening to residents in minnesota's second congressional district who told me during a teletown hall last week, 72% of them are opposed to this bill. i'm listening to the small business owners in my state and around this nation who are paralyzed by the fear of new mandates, job-killing taxes, crushing federal deficits and more government control. i'm listening to the thousands of citizens who travel traveled to our nation -- traveled to our nation's capital this weekend who said in no uncertain terms they wanted us to kill the bill. i hear the american people shouting, "stop." they want us to start over. they want health care reform we can afford. they want reform that will bring down costs without sacrificing quality or personal

freedom. mr. speaker, they want us to say no to this bill today so we can come back and do better tomorrow. there is no question that there are members in this body, republicans and democrats, who are ready to go to work on a much-improved bill. the vote has not yet been cast. it's not too late. i tell my colleagues, listen to the american people. vote no. vote no. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. the gentleman from california. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i recognize the gentlewoman from nevada, ms. titus, a member of the committee, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. ms. titus: for over a year i've listened to the voices of district three and heard heartbreaking stories of children denied coverage because of a pre-existing

condition, small business owners that can't afford to insure their employees and single moms who've lost their jobs and their insurance. they're the reasons i'm voting for reform. in district three alone, reform will improve coverage for more than 600,000 people. it will strengthen medicare for 120,000 seniors and close the prescription drug doughnut hole. it will create health care tax breaks for over 200,000 families and 17,000 small businesses and let 72,000 young adults stay on their parents' policy. insurance companies and others oppose to reform have spent over $1.3 million in southern nevada, but i won't be intimidated. today, as i've always done, i'm standing up for what i believe is in the best interest of my constituents. as has been said, it's the price of leadership to do the thing you believe has to be done at the time it must be done. now is the time to get it done and pass health care reform.

i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. ryan, is designated for 15 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. ryan wittman i will yield to the gentleman from -- mr. ryan: i yield to the gentleman from california so he can yield. mr. miller: so i'll hold. are we on the same time? mr. ryan: this is the budget committee now. mr. miller: ok. i see. i yield one minute to the gentleman from texas, mr. hinojosa, the chair of the higher ed subcommittee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. hinojosa: mr. speaker, i rise today in full support of

this reconciliation legislation to say that we have an extraordinary opportunity today to improve the quality of life for millions of americans, for the 32 million children and families who are uninsured and for students and workers who dream of pursuing higher education and acquiring the skills needed to access 21st century jobs. as the subcommittee chair for higher education, i'm proud to say that today congress will invest billions of dollars to increase accessibility and affordability in higher education for our nation's students and workers. this landmark legislation provides $36 billion in pell grant scholarships over 10 years. it provides $2 billion of moneys for our nation's community colleges. and $2.55 billion for our minority serving institutions of higher learning, including

h.s.i.'s and hsbu's. we'll put the best interest of students first and make college loans more reliable and affordable. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. tyranny, a member of the -- mr. tyranny, a member of the committee. -- mr. tierny, a member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. tierney: insurance companies will no longer be able to deny lifetime just when serious conditions require care. they won't be able to rescind coverage during the middle of a cancer or diabetes. we'll be able to see our seniors affording both their groceries and their prescription medicines because we'll close the so-called

doughnut hole in their current coverage and we'll extend the life of medicare for nine years even as we improve its coverage. small business employers and employees will be better able to afford health care and will pay less in administrative costs. all this, mr. speaker, will be making the largest paydown in the federal deficit in quite sometime, reducing our debt over $1 trillion over the next two decades. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. tierney: i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the speaker will remind the speakers to heed to the gavel. for what purpose does the gentleman from -- mr. miller: i yield for unanimous consent request. ms. norton: i rise in support of the health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman will be charged time. mr. miller: i ask for unanimous

consent -- purpose of unanimous consent. ms. lofgren: mr. speaker, i revise and extend in favor of the bill. mr. miller: i yield for unanimous consent request. >> i rise in support of this historic health care reform legislation. mr. miller: i yield for purpose of unanimous consent request to the gentlewoman from california. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. davis: i want to revise and extend and stand in favor of health care reform. mr. ryan: i want to yield to the gentleman from texas, mr. hensarling. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. hensarling: mr. speaker, the vote we take tonight may ultimately change the role of government and it's society whose most cherished birthright is freedom. there are so many reasons to oppose this legislation. taxpayer-funded abortions, the sleazy back room deals that gave us the cornhusker

kickback, the louisiana purchase, the pharmaceutical payoffs. an increase where an economy has lost their jobs and can still find no gainful employment. as a member of the house budget committee, let me give you one more. we can't afford it. our government can't even pay for the promises it has made current generations, much less future generations. after giving us the largest deficits in american history, after proposing to triple the national debt in the next 10 years, democrats today want to add $2.6 trillion of new spending to the federal budget costing every household $22,000. that's more money to borrow from the chinese, more bills to send to our children and grandchildren. mr. speaker, you cannot improve the health care of the nation by bankrupting its children. now, i've seen the democrats' congressional budget office letter about cost. fwarge in, garbage out -- garbage in, garbage out.

when you put facts in you get facts out. my congressional budget office letter says the program will add to the deficit. but even more than cost, this is really a debate about who will control the health care resources of this nation and who will control the health care decisions of our families. if we pass this bill, we will wake up one day only to find that when our loved ones become ill they will wait weeks, perhaps months to see a mediocre doctor of the government's choosing only to be told by that same doctor that he cannot help because his treatment must be limited by the government protocol. in america we must never confuse the social safety net with the slippery slope to socialism. when it comes to the health care of my family, when it comes to the health care of my country, i reject the arrogance of government social engineering and i embrace the affordability and portability that comes with preserving the

liberties of the american people. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, mr. bishop, a member of the committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. over the course of this long and passionate debate, amidst the time of hateful rhetoric, there exists one simple truth and that truth is that the current system is unsustainable. it is a system that threatens to bankrupt the federal government and every other level of government and it is a system that is already bankrupting businesses, families and individuals. those who stand in the way of reform are protecting this system. to do nothing so to ensure a future of ever-escalating rates, slashed benefits and most tragically, illness and disease that goes untreated. the bill before us is not perfect. but it does enable us to begin to take action on the most pressing issues that affect the hardworking families we represent. in my district alone, 24,000 uninsured individuals will get coverage, 97,000 families will

receive tax credits to defray the cost of coverage, 20,000 businesses will receive tax credits to provide their employees with coverage, and 49,000 young adults will be able to remain on their parents' policy. on behalf of these people and the millions like them, let's pass this bill tonight. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from wisconsin. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from wisconsin, ms. moore. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. ms. moore: thank you. as a member of the budget committee, i've had the opportunity to hear the most specious, inaccurate, contradictory and downright laughable arguments against health insurance reform. take, for example, the argument that we need to start over because the congressional budget office score had been done 17 months earlier and now is old and stale. and oh, by the way, the debate has dragged on for 17 months,