House Proceeding 07-23-09 on Jul 23rd, 2009 :: 2:05:15 to 2:12:25
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2:05:11 to 2:05:32( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: member of the house of representatives. good evening, congressman conyers. i yield to the distinguished gentleman from michigan. mr. conyers: thank you. to our colleague and friend who is als

2:05:15 to 2:12:25( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Jr.Conyers

2:05:33 to 2:05:53( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: enjoying the proceedings. i came dowmerely to letou know how much i admire and respect your determinaon to make sure thaevery american

2:05:54 to 2:06:15( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: can listen and learn about the importance of health care, the issues as you see them developing, and what it means for all of us to come up with the best possible result that we can. the 44th president of the united

2:06:16 to 2:06:38( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: states brought his case to the public last night. a brilliant explanation, very persuasive, very intellectual. then answered more than a dozen questions from the press. it was very instructive.

2:06:39 to 2:07:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: i was moved by that tonight and i'm moved by the gentleman from minnesota, mr. ellison, this night. as well because what you are doing is so very, very important . get calls in my office and i

2:07:05 to 2:07:27( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: have the unique tendency to answer my own phone. people are very surprised when i answer the phone. they are telling me what to tell the congressman and i explain to them who i am, and they are pleased and flattered by that.

2:07:28 to 2:07:48( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: but i get a lot of those calls are about health care. some of them are very moving like some of the stories that you have related here tonight. other people are not happy about health care.

2:07:49 to 2:08:09( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: and some hope that we don't come up with a bill, few. but most people realize that this struggle has been going on for 30, 40, 50 years.

2:08:10 to 2:08:34( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: harry truman began talking about universal health care. then lyndon johnson was able to come through with medicare. and in respect to harry truman's determination, although unsuccessful, he went to the

2:08:35 to 2:08:58( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: harry truman library in missouri to sign the medicare bill. there's a rich history, a legacy , about how we have gone through these different changes. and now with the president after only a few months calls us

2:08:59 to 2:09:23( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: together in the white house at a white house summit to declare his determination to do more about this system, we call it a system, it's a broken down, nonworking system, about health care.

2:09:24 to 2:09:45( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: so it's so interesting to study what all of our president's, what our leaders have done, and why it's so important when we think of the millions and millions of people that don't have health care. i'm going to say something here tonight that to me i want to put

2:09:46 to 2:10:06( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: in perspective, the issues. the plan as i understand it that's being proposed does not relieve eve of not having health care. it is not a universal system.

2:10:07 to 2:10:27( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: let's put these things on the table. i am for a universal system of health care. i have worked with doctors, medical scholars, nurses for years now and they say that that's the only way we are going

2:10:28 to 2:10:49( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: to reduce costs. for anybody that's talking about it's bad enough that we don't have single payer health care involved in this eept for the tremendous efforts of the gentleman from ohio, dennis

2:10:50 to 2:11:14( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: kucinich, who's got it in one of the committee's bills that allow states to develop health care, if they chose. an option. we don't even know what the public option is finally going to be. there are those that don't even

2:11:15 to 2:11:38( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: want to give t americans to choose between their health care plans and the ntrols of the insurance industry have been legendary. it's been written, spoken about. people own experience.

2:11:39 to 2:12:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: . and then if i hear anybody talk about the government controlling medicine, it's the health insurance companies that are controlling medicine, not the doctor. and so i just want to listen, take in the wisdom that you've

2:12:02 to 2:12:24( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: brought to this body and enjoy this discussion. i hope any of our colleagues that want to join in this can participate as well if they choose and i'm just so proud you're doing it tonight, that i can just add my comments to this

2:12:25 to 2:12:25( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: decision of yours to once again