Senate Proceeding 06-09-09 on Jun 9th, 2009 :: 3:17:10 to 3:34:55
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3:17:06 to 3:17:26( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: colleagues to support the nomination of general mcchrystal, and i ask unanimous consent that the full statement i prepared be submitted for the record as if read. the presiding officer: without objection. and i distinguished colleague from utah. mr. hatch: i thank my colleague and join with him in his suggestions. mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from utah. mr. hatch: mr. president, i

3:17:10 to 3:34:55( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Orrin Hatch

3:17:27 to 3:17:51( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: want to associate myself with the remarks and concerns expressed earlier by both the judiciary committee's ranking member, senator sessions, and the distinguished republican leader and mcnnell -- senators mcconnell and kyl. the white house talking points tell us that the supreme court nominee, judge sonia sotomayor, has more federal judicial experience

3:17:52 to 3:18:13( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: court nominee in a century. my friends on the other side of the aisle have aggressively circulated these talking points. i assume by stressing judicial experience they are saying this overwhelmingly deep, broad judicial record provides us the basis on which to judge the nominee's fitness for the supreme court. that coin has two sides. the flip side is that a 17-year judicial career that has

3:18:14 to 3:18:35( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: produced thousands of judicial decisions takes time adequately to e consider. the question is whether the majority is at all interested in a genuine, serious, process by which the senate can fulfill one of our most important constitutional responsibilities. this process should be fair and thorough.

3:18:36 to 3:18:56( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: and instead, it is being rigged and rushed for no praerpbt reason other than the -- apparent reason other than the majority can do so. this process should be bipartisan, and instead it's becoming entirely partisan. the ranking member was not even given the very same courtesy that the chairman was given when he was in that position at the time of the previous supreme court nominations.

3:18:57 to 3:19:17( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: let me focus on the process followed to consider the previousupreme court nominee, justice samuel alito. he had served on the u.s. court of appeals for the third circuit for more than 15 years when he was nominated to the supreme court. this was five years longer than judge sotomayor has served on the second circuit and nearly the same as judge sotomayor's

3:19:18 to 3:19:38( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: combined judicial service on both the district and circuit courts. the other party demanded and was granted 70 days from the announcement of the nomination to the hearing to study the senator from senator specter, was chairman at the time.

3:19:39 to 3:19:59( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: he made no unilateral partisan announcements. he imposed no time frame. he consulted the ranking member, and they agreed that there would be 70 days to study that voluminous judicial record. oh, what a difference an election makes. with the unilateral partisan edict announced today by the

3:20:00 to 3:20:22( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: chairman, we're being given only 48 days to study the same lengthy record. we are told that we must consider the largest judicial record in a century in the shortest time in modern memory. and that is simply not enough. it is not enough to do the job right, and i would remind my friends on the other side that it was their leaders who once said that it is more important

3:20:23 to 3:20:43( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: to do it right than to do it fast. now that was when there was a republican president and a republican senate. are we to assume from the unilateral imposition of a stunted and inadequate process that the majority today no longer cares that the confirmation process be done right? only that it be done fast? the chairman has actually

3:20:44 to 3:21:06( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: suggested that he really has no choice that some intemperate criticism by a few people have somehow forced his hand. he cannot be serious about this. this nominee has the full force and weight of no less than the entire administration of a currently popular president. a compliant media, and the largest partisan congressional

3:21:07 to 3:21:28( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: majority in decades to come to her defense. interest groups are mobilizing, lobbying campaigns are in full swing. web sites a already in operation. with all that, are we to believe that a few ill-considered remarks by this body are enough to cut the confirmation process off at the knees? are we to believe that this is

3:21:29 to 3:21:49( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: all it takes to set aside fairness? to undercut the ability of the senate to do its confirmation duty and to inject this degree of partisanship and rancor into the process? give me a break. this is choice, plain and simple, and it is the wrong choice. the distinguished senator from new york, senator schumer, has said that senators on our side

3:21:50 to 3:22:10( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: of the aisle oppose this nominee at their peril, as if there is any peril in fairly applying basic principles and standards to this as well as to other nomine but the distinguished majority leader has apparently said the same thing to senators on the other side of the aisle, literally daring any of them to vote against this nominee.

3:22:11 to 3:22:31( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: that is especially so publicly and so early on in the process. it makes me wonder whether there are concerns even on the majority side that the leadership simply cannot allow to be expressed. i urge my friends on the other side to reconsider and not be intimidated and not be pushed around. there is more than enough time

3:22:32 to 3:22:52( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: to do the confirmation job right, to have a fair and thorough process, that can have a confirmed justice in place when the supreme court begins its term in october. there is no further politicize the confirmation process. injecting such partisanship at the beginning easily can result

3:22:53 to 3:23:13( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: in greater conflict and division further down the confirmation road, and that is not good for judge sotomayor or anybody else in this body. that is not in the best tradition of the senate. it is not how the supreme court nominations have been considered in the past, and it is not the way we shod do this today. i've been informed there have

3:23:14 to 3:23:34( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: been some 4,000 decisions. my gosh, that is going to take some time to go through those decisions. and i think we ought to be fair in this body, and fairness means giving enough time to be able to do the job properly and to get it done within a reasonable period of time and not be pushed

3:23:35 to 3:23:55( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: in ways that really don't make sense. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that my next remarks be placed at the appropriate place in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hatch: mr. president, i would like to take a few minutes now to tal creating a government plan on american families in health care. i'm very disappointed with the president and my friends on the other side of the aisle that

3:23:56 to 3:24:16( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: they have chosen to pursue the creation of a new plan. one of the most divisive issues in health care reform, rather than focusing on broad areas of compromise that can lead us towards bipartisan health care reform legislation. sterday ipearheaded a letter with my republican finance committee colleagues urging the

3:24:17 to 3:24:38( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: president to strike a more conciliatory tone on health care reform. having played a profound role in almost every major health care legislation for the last three decades and having w repetively in a bipartisan manner with everyone from senators kennedy and dodd to congressma waxman, i know something about getting things

3:24:39 to 3:24:59( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: done for our families in a thoughtful manner. you advance legislation by focusing on areas of compromise, not strife. first and foremost, let me make this point again. even though i am starting to sound like reforming our health care system to ensure that every american has access to quality,

3:25:00 to 3:25:20( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: affordable, and portable health care is not a republican o democrat issue. it is an american issue. when we are dea one-sixth of our economy, it is absolutely imperative that we address this challenge in a bipartisan manner. anything less would be a huge disservice to our families and

3:25:21 to 3:25:42( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: our nation. clearly, health care spending continues to grow too fast. this year will mark the biggest ever one-year jump in health care's share of our g.d.p., a full percentage point to 17.6%. you can think of this as a horse race between costs and resources to cover these costs.

3:25:43 to 3:26:04( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: the sad reality is that costs win year growing health care costs translate directly into higher coverage costs. since the last decade, the cost of health coverage has increased by 120%, three times the growth of inflation and four times the growth of wages. it is not the only problem, but

3:26:05 to 3:26:26( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: cost is one part of the reason why more than 45 million americans do not have health insurance. i believe we need to do more to assure we achieve universal access to affordable and quality health care for every american. we can do this by reforming and improving the current system. however, the creation of a government plan is nothing more

3:26:27 to 3:26:48( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: than a backdoor approach to a washington-run health care sy at a time when major government programs like medicare and medicaid are already on a path to brand-new government program will not only worsen our long-term financial outlook, but also negatively impact american families who enjoy coverage of their choice.

3:26:49 to 3:27:09( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: to put this in perspective, as of this year, medicare has a liability of almost $39 trillion that's trillion dollars. which in turn translates to a financial burden of more than $300,000 per american family. in our current fiscal

3:27:10 to 3:27:30( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: environment where the government will have to borrow nearly 50 cents of every dollar it spends this year, exploding our deficit by almost $1.8 trillion, let's think hard about what we are doing to our country and our future generations. the impact of a new government-run program on

3:27:31 to 3:27:53( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: families who currently have private insurance of their choice is also alarming. a recent study estimated that cost shifting from government taxpayers specifically medicare and medicaid already costs families with private insurance nearly $1,800 more each year.

3:27:54 to 3:28:15( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: creating another government-run government plan will further increase these costs on our family in utah and across the country. now, let me make a very important point. a new government plan is nothing more than a trojan horse for a single pair system, a one-size fits all government mandated

3:28:16 to 3:28:39( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: system where we will put bureaucrats between you and your doctors. washington-run programs undermine market-based market ability through price controls an shift costs to other purchasers. the nonpartisan leuin group have concluded that a government plan open to all and offering medicare level reimbursement

3:28:40 to 3:29:02( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: rates would result in 119.1 million americans losing their private coverage. this is almost three times the size of the entire medicare program. it's already in trouble. more importantly, this would run contrary to the president's own pledge to the american families about allowing them to keep the coverage of their choice.

3:29:03 to 3:29:23( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: and so far as i know no one has disputed the leuin program. and they're well known as one of the most nonpartisan groups in the country. proponents of ts plan seem to count on the efficiency of the federal government in delivering care for american families since it is already doing such a great

3:29:24 to 3:29:44( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: job with our banking an automobile industry. -- and automobile industry. medicare is a perfect example. it is on a path to fiscal meltdown with part already facing bankruptcy within the next decade and we all know it. it underpays doctors by 20% and

3:29:45 to 3:30:05( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: hospitals by 30% compared to the private sector forcing increasing number of providers to simply stop seeing our nation's seniors. according to the report, nine out of 10 medicare beneficiaries have to get additional medicare coverage.

3:30:06 to 3:30:28( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: nine out of 10 of them. we have a broken doctor payment system in medicare that has be fixed every year so seniors can continue to get care. this year alone this broken formula calls for a more than 20% cut. i can keep going, but the point here is simple.

3:30:29 to 3:30:49( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: washington and a government-run plan is not the answer. talk about creating problems. the supporters of the government plan, they know these facts, so they are trying a different proach by claiming that the government plan is simply competeing with the private sector on a so-called level

3:30:50 to 3:31:12( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: playing field. give me a break. history has shown us that forcing free-market plans to compete with these government-run programs always -- always creates an unlevel playing field and dooms true competition. the medicare program once again provides an important lesson, as a political compromise medicare

3:31:13 to 3:31:33( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: waset up in 1965 to pay doctors an hospitals the same rates as the private sector. faced with rising budget pressures, congress quickly abandoned this level-playing field approach and enacted price limits for doctors an hospitals. -- and hospitals. today, as i said, medicare payments are 20% less

3:31:34 to 3:31:54( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: doctors and 30% less for hospitals compared to the private sector. now, i have been told by doctors from utah and across the country that if this continues, they will simply stop seeing patients all together. a number of them are ready to quit the profession. i can't tell you the problems

3:31:55 to 3:32:15( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: that govement-run program. a trojan horse to lead us to a government mandated government-run, one-size fits all massive program. and -- in his march 2009 testimony in the energy and

3:32:16 to 3:32:39( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: commerce committee, the director of the congressional budget office testified that it would be -- quote -- "extremely difficult" unquote to create -- quote -- "a system where a public plan -- government plan, if you will, could compete o level playing field" unquote against private coverage. the e resul

3:32:40 to 3:33:01( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: government takeover system taking it out of the hands of our doctors and our patients, plays -- placing them in the hands of a washington bureaucracy and inserting that bureaucracy right between them. here's the bottom line. we are walking down a stories like jack tang could

3:33:02 to 3:33:22( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: become increasingly common in our great nation. in 2006, jack tag, a former world war ii pilot, suffered from a severe case -- a severe case the regional government bureaucrats rejected his request for treatment citing high costs unless the disease hit his

3:33:23 to 3:33:44( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: eye also. it took three years to overturn that decision. three years while he had to suffer when we could have done this in a better way. now, let's just all rember that a family member with cancer in an intensive care unit would probably neither have the time

3:33:45 to 3:34:06( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: nor the resources to appeal such an egregious bureaucratic decision. we need to rember the real implications of these policies, not simply in terms of political spin and special interest, but in terms of these policy's impact on real people who are mothers, wives, brothers, sisters, and

3:34:07 to 3:34:28( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: children. just like the ill conceived stimulus legislation and the flawed auto bailout plan, health care reform has the potential of becoming another example of the democrats justifying the current economic turmoil to further expand the federal government. to enact true health care reform, we have to come together

3:34:29 to 3:34:50( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: as one to write a reasonable and responsible bill for the american families who are faced with rising unemployment and out of control health care costs. i really do look forward to working together to transform our sick care system into a true health care system. i continue to hold deep in my heart that we will move beyond

3:34:51 to 3:34:55( Edit History Discussion )

Orrin Hatch: the beltway games and work together in a bipartisan way to fix main street.