chairman, the -- >> gentlelady's correct, committee is not in order.e author of this amendment deserves the courtesy of having members listen to her. >> we've been working on this markup to make health care more affordable, and this amendment will help us in three ways. one, it will help prevent excessive premium increases by limiting annual increases and premiums for exchange participating plans to 150 percent of medicalnflation. two, it addresses the need to have medicare negotiate rates in order to lower part d drug prices. third, it provides that the savings achieved through these two provisions will be used to lower premium costs for consumers in the exchange. i want to explain further i want to yield to my colleagues, first mr. murphy, mr. welch, ms. harmon and ms. degette. mr. murphy? >> would you like to yield to them one minute each? >> that'd be great. thank you. >> thank you very much, and i'd like to thank my co-sponsor, ms. schakowsky. our biggest insurer in connecticut announced a couple weeks ago they were going to raise rates by 32 perc

i heard the gentlelady, as i would call her, now i consider her a friend, i invited her to washington i will say to them is i was being responsive, talking about health care. my question to those who have youtubes and i love youtube, who have made an issue, are they concerned about health care reform? are they concerned about a robust public option? are they concerned about eliminating pre-existing diseases? all of that i talk about. by the way, rick, i stayed to the end. we answered every question on that particular town hall meeting, including the young mother that you are speaking of. every cancer survivor that got up and spoke, we clapped for them and said thank you. so, if it offended anyone, let me say it was through misinterpretation. >> did you -- >> because i was battling to make sure that we had the right answer. >> did you apologize to that lady who you talked to afterward? >> what i will say to you is that the lady did not ask for an apology. we became good friends. i have extended an invitation for her to come back if she so desires so, there was no reason. we were friend

. >> well, i do have to compliment the gentlelady from maryland. her questioning and commentary was so refreshing. and and, you know, we're going to go home in a few hours whether it's up the road or in florida and you have to face people who haven't had jobs for months and you're going to go back and say, well, we've got $11 billion unobligated here. we've got billions here. and all they want is the opportunity to work and provide for themselves and that solves all the way other problems. it really does. you were magnificent, mrs. edwards. mr. chairman, i want to make sure that was in the record. >> good. thank you. >> the final thing -- and this is just a point, particularly, the agency folks that are trying to get the money out, we will never get projects cheaper than you can right now. there's a fire sale going on to do every kind of project in this country. people want business. they want -- contractors want work and contracts. and in my district -- i met with my district transportation secretary who covers my area of florida, he said the pric

speaker, i yield to the gentlelady from michigan >> thank the gentleman for yielding. mr.peaker i was produced to be the represent sponsor of the original legislation we passed a number of months ago. cash for clunkers, what a fantastic success. it has exceeded everybody's expectations. people are saying it is the best $1 billion in funds the federal government has ever spent. first of all, the ceo of one of the nation's largest auto groups said the most brilliantly conceived program put forward. ford motor company said it was a huge success. it congress appropriated $1 billion and we are only several days into the program and we need more cash for cash for clunkers. if we can think about the tremendous economic multiplier effect this is having. it is good for the auto dealers, good for the manufacturers, for the suppliers, for workers, for the states, mr. speaker. think about all of the revenue being generated by sales tax and licensing fees as well. good for the environment. getting all these old vehicles off the road, and it is absolutery great for consumers. here is on

speaker, i'd like to say to the gentlelady who has offered this floor, she has more -- i'm proud to yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. campbell. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. mr. campbell: thank you, mr. speaker. and i thank the gentleman for yielding. you know, mr. speaker, cash for clunkers program was inartfully clunkers program was inartfully drafted, i than come bersome than it needs to be -- come bersome than it needs -- cumbersome than it needs to be. the administration of it has not gone on well but it has worked. and, mr. speaker, we have passed a number of things in this congress this year intended to stimulate the economy. the vast majority of them have not had that effect. but this one has. and it has clearly worked. for the initial billion dollars to be exhausted, that means that roughly 250,000 new vehicles must have been sold in just the last week or two in order to exhaust all of that money. that is clearing inventories in car dealerships which means car dealers will be ordering more cars. when th