Senate Proceeding on Oct 8th, 2009 :: 0:30:50 to 0:37:20
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0:30:47 to 0:31:08( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: costs to the american people who are trying to afford their insurance premiums today. mr. cornyn: mr. president, i would respond to the distinguished senator from tennessee, of course not. the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cornyn: the american people are -- are smart. they can understand that these

0:30:50 to 0:37:20( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Cornyn

0:31:09 to 0:31:30( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: numbers are not going to add up. and, as our republican leader said this morning, this bill that was reported in the newspaper and scored by the congressional budget office yesterday will never see light of day. and so this is a work in progress and we are committed, i think on a bipartisan basis, to

0:31:31 to 0:31:52( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: reform our health care system. but the goal -- and we need to keep our eye on the goal is to bring down the costs and cover people who currently are not covered. and this bill, unfortunately, does not accomplish those goals. bu we're going to keep working with our colleagues if they will be open to our suggestions. but i have to tell you as a

0:31:53 to 0:32:13( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: member of the finance committee, virtually every suggestion republicans made during the amendment process to this bill was voted down on a party le basis. i was here to talk about one of those amendments thathe senator from tennessee mentioned where we asked merely that the bill, once it's reduced to legislative language and the

0:32:14 to 0:32:35( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: cost is determined, that it be put on the internet for 72 hours. that was voted down along a party line vote. but i would thank the presiding officer and other folks on the other side of the aisle, eight of whom have written to the majority leader saying that makes so i bipartisan consensus for more

0:32:36 to 0:32:56( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: transparency during the debate. i've come to the floor to talk about how it makes no sense to cut medice benefits for 11 million medicare beneficiaries who happen to be engaged in the medicare advantage program in order to pay for this bill. why would you take from medicare, which is on a

0:32:57 to 0:33:18( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: pathway to bankruptcy by 2017 in order to create a new government program? it can only make sense inside the beltway. and if you voluntarily your powers of disbelief. it just does not across the country. so that's why it's so important that we have these discussion, ask these questions, have transparency.

0:33:19 to 0:33:40( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: and today i nt to ask another question: will the health care proposals, like the finance committee proposal, and others, break the president's promise of not raising taxes on families making less than $250,000 a year? now, unfor the, i will the finance committee -- unfortunately, the finance committee bill does, in fact,

0:33:41 to 0:34:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: raise taxes on families making less than $250,000 a year. and so you can't keep the -- the president can't keep his promise ife pass this particular legislation. for example, this bill imposes a penalty on individuals who do not meet the washington-imposed mandate that will be enforced by the internal receive new service.

0:34:02 to 0:34:22( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: the internal revenue service is going to impose a penalty on you if insurance that meets the washington-imposed mandate. according to the joint tax committee the penalty initially included in the bill would hit especially middle-class families hard. they found that at least 71% of the penalty would come from people earning less

0:34:23 to 0:34:43( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: than $250,000 a year. the bill also penalty from 10% to americans who use a portion of their health savings account for purposes other than qualified medical expenses. it seems to me that we ought to be encouraging more people to use their health savings accounts rather than less, but,

0:34:44 to 0:35:05( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: as i've discussed yesterday on the telephone with the c.e.o. of ole foods, john mackey, he said the -- the health savings accounts -- they call them wellness accounts that are overwhelmingly successful and voted every year with the satisfaction rate of some 85% or more by the employees of whole

0:35:06 to 0:35:26( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: foods, headquartered texas, that will be an inlegal plan under an insurance premiums, of course, will go up in the process. this bill also raises the on deductions for medical expenses to0% from its current level of 7.5%. so you'll be able to deduct less of your medical expenses if you

0:35:27 to 0:35:48( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: have serious health care expenses taxes will go up if you can deduct less, your taxes will go up. and the point out, consider an amendment that was intended to bring the bill in line with the president's promise not to raise taxes on people making less than $250,000 a year and it was

0:35:49 to 0:36:09( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: voted down along party lines. republicans were for it, democrats were against it. this amendment would have protected families who earned less than $250,000, but, as i say, it was voted down. so, mr. president, in addition to imposing taxes on people the president promised not to impose

0:36:10 to 0:36:32( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: taxes on, this also imposes additional so-called industry fees which experts have said will ultimately be passed down to consumers in higher insurance costs. so instead of making insurance more affordable, this bill would actually make it less affordable and head in the wrong direction. the nonpartisan congressional

0:36:33 to 0:36:53( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: budget office and the joint tax committee both confirm these fees woulds passed -- would be passed along to consumers an would ultimately raise -- and would ultimately raise premiums. so, mr. president, my question today is will these proposed health care reforms break the president's promise not to raise taxes on those making $250,000

0:36:54 to 0:37:16( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: or less? unfortunately the finance committee proposal, which we will now appareny vote on tuesday of next week, does break the president's proposal or promise, i should say. republicans stand ready to work with our friends on the other side if they would just accept some ideas on how to do this to bring down costs and to cover

0:37:17 to 0:37:20( Edit History Discussion )

John Cornyn: more -- cover more people and make health coverage more