House Proceeding 11-07-09 on Nov 7th, 2009 :: 7:37:50 to 8:00:15
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7:37:47 to 7:38:07( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: mr. camp: we'll use it. mr. camp: at this time, mr. speaker, i yield the customary one minute to the distinguished nority leader, the gentleman from oo, mr. boehner. the speaker pro tempore: the distinguished minority leader is recognized for one minute.

7:37:50 to 8:00:15( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John A. Boehner

7:38:08 to 7:38:28( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: bainbaven let me thank my col -- mr. boehner: let me thank my colleagues. ladies and gentlemen, before i came here, i ran a small business. and while i was running my small

7:38:29 to 7:38:51( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: business, it became clear to me that government was growing, in my view, out of control. more regulations, more taxes, my suppliers, for my customers and for my own little small business. and it seemed to me that the government was choking the goose that was laying the golden egg. you know, we were all lucky

7:38:52 to 7:39:15( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: enough to be raised in america. most of us born in america. the greatest country in the world. an americans had the freedom, the freedom to succeed, the freedom of opportunity. but i think all of u understand the bigger government gets, the more that it takes from the american people, the

7:39:16 to 7:39:37( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: more money that individuals have to spend to comply with all these regulations is less money that is left in american families' pockets and small businesses, and as a result, the opportunities available for our citizens get diminished. we live in a great country.

7:39:38 to 7:39:58( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: but it can only be great if we're willing to allow the freedom that americans have had to succeed to that freedom, that freedom has been dimming. the bright lights of freedom have been dimming for decades because government continues to grow.

7:39:59 to 7:40:19( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: now one only has to look at what has happened this year to wonder why we are here tonight doing we all know we have had difficult economic shock in our country over the last year. and so we see a stimulus bill

7:40:20 to 7:40:40( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: that came to the floor that said we were going to create jobs, jobs and jobs and now we have unemployment rates at 10.2% and over three million americans have lost their jobs. all of a sudden, we have a budget on the floor, deficit this year and $1

7:40:41 to 7:41:02( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: trillion deficits on average for as far as the eye can see. i don't think there is a member on either side of the i'll who doesn't realize that this is unsustainable, that this will wreak havoc on our country and wreak havoc on the future of our kids and grand ds. if there is one obligation that

7:41:03 to 7:41:24( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: we have is to make sure that the american dream that was available to all of us is available for our kids and our grand kids. and $1 trillion deficits for as far as the eye can see are not sustainable and will ruin their future. but, no, wasn't enough. all of a sudden, we have to have this national energy tax on the

7:41:25 to 7:41:45( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: floor in june. it's called cap and trade because no one in america knows what thameans, but it's a giant energy tax that would tax anybody who drives a car, anybody who works in a place that uses like that, anyone who would flip on a light switch is going to pay a higher tax. not only are we go

7:41:46 to 7:42:06( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: higher taxes and have higher energy costs in america, it would shift millions of american jobs overseas at a time when americans are asking, where are the jobs? and the policies that have been coming down the pike all yire have diminished the possibility

7:42:07 to 7:42:28( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: that we will be creating jobs that americans so desperately want. that still wasn't enough. now we're going to bring this 2,-page bill to the floor of the -- 2,000-page bill to the floor of the house and will kill

7:42:29 to 7:42:50( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: millions more american jobs. the american people want us to focus on getting our economy moving again because they' looking for work. they want to make sure that those who have a job can keep it. and what's happened all year is we're moving policies that we're going to destroy the ability of the private sector to create those jobs.

7:42:51 to 7:43:14( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: but i don't think there's anything that will diminish the job prospects in america more, of all the t happened this year, than this health care bill. now you just think about this bill that we have in front of us. it's going to raise taxes. it's going to raise surance premiums for those who have

7:43:15 to 7:43:36( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: insurance, full of mandates and not enough, we're going to cut medicare. now the president said if you like the health surance you have, you can keep it. and i know the preside was sincere in that, but that's not what this bill represents and there's not a member in this chamber that doesn't understand

7:43:37 to 7:43:59( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: that, because if you are a medicare advantage enrollee like 27,000 of my constituents, the congressional budget office says that 80% of them are going to lose medicare advantage and if you look at this bill and you look at the employer mandates in if employers don't provide health insurance, there's a tax.

7:44:00 to 7:44:22( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: and for many employers, the tax will be cheaper than the actual cost of health insurance. a lot of employers in america are going to say, listen i would rather pay the tax and my employees will have to fend for government plan. but it doesn't stop there.

7:44:23 to 7:44:44( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: every employer plan that's of once again by the department of labor and the health choices czar. big compliance cost there. some employers are going to say, listen, this isn't worth it. it has to go through the health

7:44:45 to 7:45:10( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: choices czar so the choices czar can determine whether your plan is adequate according to some federal bureaucrat. and so a lot of employers, they're going to get out of it and they're not going to do it and what is going to happen to those employees that like the coverage they have today? they're going to end up in the government plan.

7:45:25 to 7:45:45( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: . individual mandate in this bill in front of us that says every american is going to buy health insurance. whether you want it or not. if you don't, you'll be faced with a fine up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to five years. the idea that we can tell americans, force americans, by

7:45:46 to 7:46:06( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: some law, that they have to buy health insurance or we're going to jail. but there's been all this focus on the employer mandates and the individual mandates, on the government option. let me hasn't been much attention. that is the giant bureaucracy that's being built here in

7:46:07 to 7:46:27( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: washington in the federal government as it takes control of america's health care system and forces you out of the insurance you have and into some i know most of my colleagues, they might think this is hyperbole or it might sound political.

7:46:28 to 7:46:50( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: it isn't. listen to this. most of my colleagues on the left have been down here today. they're for this because it infrastructure for the government to take control of all of our health care and go to a single payer system.

7:46:51 to 7:47:11( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: it starts with -- it starts with the exchange that's in this bill. once it takes effect, the health exchange, you can't buy private insurance on your own you can't go out and buy insurance. you have to go to the exchange. and the exchange will decide for you which plans are off to you.

7:47:12 to 7:47:32( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: so if you change your job or you don't like what you want, like what you have, guess what. you ge government's health exchange to get yo but it's just not the government option that i'm talking about. when you look at this infrastructure that there's -- that's there, it's going to require tens of thousands of

7:47:33 to 7:47:53( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: new federal employees. the american people want two they want lower cost and they want more choices. and i think the underlying bill here tonight does exactly the opposite. it raises the cost of health insurance and create this is newing me ga -- mega

7:47:54 to 7:48:15( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: bureaucracy to make health care decisions that should be left to doctors and their patients. let's talk about this bureaucracy for a moment. go to page 131, section 241, provides for an unelected, quote, health choices commissioner, unquote, who would run a, quote, health choices administration.

7:48:16 to 7:48:36( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: an independent agency of the executive branch. here are some examples of the powers of this new, i'm sorry, health choices commissioner, we'll call him the health czar. on page 167 through 172 in section 303 the health czar patients could receive and at

7:48:37 to 7:48:59( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: what cost. or you can go to page 132, section 242, the health choices czar will decide which private plans will be allowed to participate in the excnge. then you go to page 127, section 234, this new health czar will regular reg late all insurance plans, both in and

7:49:00 to 7:49:21( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: out of the exchange. then you go to page 162 to 165, section 302, the health choices czar wi employers are going to be allowed to participate in the exchange. then you go to page 174 to 178, section 304b, the h

7:49:22 to 7:49:44( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: choices czar will decide which physicians and hospitals get to participate in the government-run plan. you go to page 197 to 202, section 308. health choices czar will determine which states are allowed to operate their own exchange and to terminate any previously approved state exchange.

7:49:45 to 7:50:06( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: at any time. then you go to page 17 0171, section 303d, the health choices czar can override state laws regarding covered health benefits. it's in the bill. go read it. page 133, section 242a2.

7:50:07 to 7:50:27( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: person will determine how trillions of texas payer and employer dollars would be spent within the exc page 133, section random compliant audits. the person still has more powers here. page 183, section automat click enroll americans

7:50:28 to 7:50:51( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: into the exchange if they don't have coverage, including potentially forcing these individuals into the government-run plan. now this is referred to as, quote, random assignment. this commissioner is charged with establishing, quote, waitinlists, unquote, and defining such terms as, quote,

7:50:52 to 7:51:13( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: dependent, unquote, quote, service area, premium rating area, employee, part employee, and full-time employee. let's all be honest. this is the czar to end all czars. but it doesn't stop there. when you look at this expanding bureaucracy created in the

7:51:14 to 7:51:34( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: federal government, on page 1322, section 2401, it creates a w center for quality improvement to prioritize areas for identification and implementation of best practices for quality improvement of best practices for the delivery of health care services. we've already got centers for

7:51:35 to 7:51:55( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: quality improvement. we've got doctors, nurses, surgeons, hospitals, laboratories, rehas been facilities. i don't know if we'll have -- but, oh, no, we need more bureaucracy than that. the speaker pro tempore: the house is not in order. members will take seats and

7:51:56 to 7:52:16( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: cease conversation. mr. boehner: we're not even close to the end of this bureaucracy. page 1183, section 184, provides for -- a new entitlement program to offer knowledge of expectations

7:52:17 to 7:52:37( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: for age appropriate child behaviors and skills to interact with their child. not only is the federal government going to gislate what's good for medical practices. now we're going to but $750 million into a program to help legislate how parents should parent. page 1198, section 1907. we establish a center for

7:52:38 to 7:52:58( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: medicare and medicaid improvement, i'm sorry, innovation, within the centers for medicare and medicaid services to legislate innovation as part of a bill that cuts, i think, the most innovative medicare program we have, that's medicare advantage. but we still have more.

7:52:59 to 7:53:19( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: page authorizes the secretary of health and human services to, quote, reduce benefits, increase premiums, establish waiting funding in the shortfalls of high risk pools. it's right there in the bill, establish waiting list.

7:53:20 to 7:53:40( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: pages 734, 738, and sections 1804 and 1802, create the center for comparative comparative effectiveness research commission and comparative research trust fund to decide which treatments are most effective. but the bill does not provide

7:53:41 to 7:54:01( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: any prot patien decide what's in their own best interest. we get into more duplicative programs. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman may proceed.

7:54:02 to 7:54:22( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: mr. boehner: page 1432, section 2531, provides for incentive payments to states that enact new medical liability laws. but only if such law quote, not limit attorney's feesr impose caps on damages. so we're telling states to solve the problems, but also

7:54:23 to 7:54:43( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: telling them not to use the tools that work most effectively in the states using them. page 1624, section 2589, creates a new personal care attend ant work force advisory panel. let me say that again. quote, a personal care attendant work force advisory pal, made up in p

7:54:44 to 7:55:05( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: personal care workers, including union representative, to study working conditions and salaries of these workers. what does this have to do with lowering health care costs? page 196 , section 3103, establishes a quote, committee for the establishment of the native american health and wellness foundation. so we're going to set up a comm

7:55:06 to 7:55:28( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: set up a foundation and we're going to take half a million dollars of america's money to do this? page 1330 section 2402. secretary for health information. i guess this is another job saved or created. page 1391, section 2524,

7:55:29 to 7:55:49( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: creates a no child left unimmunized against influenza grant program to, quote, test the feasibility of using the nation's elementary schools and secondary schools as influenza vaccination centers. aren't we doing this already? page 1253, secon 2231.

7:55:50 to 7:56:10( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: creates a new public health work force corps for the purpose of, quote, ensuring an quad outsupply of health the bill also creates a, quote, public health work force scholarship program and a public health work force loan forgiveness program, all of this duplicates the existing

7:56:11 to 7:56:31( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: national health services corporation. page 1478, section 2552. the bill creates an emergency chair coordination center in the office of the assistant secretary for preparedness and response, charged with working in coordination with the federal interagency committee

7:56:32 to 7:56:52( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: on emergency medical services. and the emergency chair coordinator center seeks out the advice of a council on emergency care. wee not finished yet. how about this one. page 15, section 2572-b imposes a labeling requirement

7:56:53 to 7:57:14( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: on all vending nationwide and in addition to that, will require all restaurants with locations to post the calorie counts, extly next to, and we spell this out in the law, right next to the menu. whether it's the drive-in menu, the one on the board, or the

7:57:15 to 7:57:35( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: one they hand out to we require every restaurant with more than 20 locations to do this. but that's not enough. page 872, section 1433, requires the director of food services at nursing that participate in medicare or medicaid to hold, quote, military, academic, or other

7:57:36 to 7:57:57( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: qualifications as determined by federal bureaucrats. now we're going to legislate work requirements in the background of all this. but i think this is the best part. of the bureaucracy. a on page 122, section 233-a-3 of this 2,032-page bill, requires the commissioner to

7:57:58 to 7:58:19( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: issue -- to, quote, issue guidance on best practices of plain language writing. what it says here in the bill. go look at it. ladies and gentlemen, we know what's going on here. there are problems in our current health care system that we all want to address.

7:58:20 to 7:58:41( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: i heard all the criticisms of our bill and the fact that it doesn't do everything everybody wants it to do. you know what it does do? it lowers the cost of health insurance and solves the problem of those with pre-existing conditions and begins to insu americans.

7:58:47 to 7:59:07( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: . what we don't need to do is create this giant bureaucracy and spend all of this tax money and imprison our children's future bypassing this 2,000-page and so, i think we do have a better solution, a commonsense solution that americans will support.

7:59:08 to 7:59:28( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: and so tonight, here we are. we have a choice. we can pass the 2,000-page bill. we can cut medicare. we can impose all these mandates on employers and will drive employment down and unemployment up or take a commonsense

7:59:29 to 7:59:53( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: as i said during my remarks, our job is to do our best to make sure that our kids and grand kids have a better chance at the american dream t i understa that we've got some tough choices to make, but sent us here to do is to make those tough choices. i'm not go to go put my kids further in debt.

7:59:54 to 8:00:14( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: of freedom for my kids or theirs nor anyone in this country if i can avoid it. so we have a choice. we can do what's right for the future or we can continue down this path towards bigger and bigger government. i came here to fight for freedom. i came here to renew the american dream for our kids and grand kids.

8:00:15 to 8:00:15( Edit History Discussion )

John A. Boehner: i would ask my colleagues to