Senate Proceeding on Nov 3rd, 2009 :: 0:02:20 to 0:08:00
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0:02:13 to 0:02:35( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington d.c., to the senate: unde paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable roland burris, a senator from the state of illinois, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: robert c. byrd, president

0:02:20 to 0:08:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Mitch McConnell

0:02:36 to 0:03:00( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: pro tempore. mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i assume the majority leader will be here momentarily, but i have a brief statement. i think i'll just go ahead make that. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. mcconnell: i'd like to start by noting that we'll have

0:03:01 to 0:03:21( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: an opportunity chancellor merkel. we welcome her to the capitol. it is always an honor to welcome those to this great mr. president, on another issue, americans have always had a healthy skepticism about

0:03:22 to 0:03:44( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: government, but the health care bill that democrats in congress have put together this year would surprise even the warriest of citizens about government's potential to misread its mandate. at a time of near unemployment and a staggering $12 trillion federal debt, this bill proposes to spend at least another $1 trillion to extend the reach of

0:03:45 to 0:04:05( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: health care decisions of every single american. what's worse, a bill that was meant to control costs is expected to increase them. one independent study after another has shown that the bills we've seen wouldn't make health insurance premiums go down. it would actually drive them up. you'd think this would be enough to send the bill writers back to the drawing board.

0:04:06 to 0:04:28( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: after all, the primary argument that w for these bills was the unsustainable cost of health care. unfortunately, it hasn't. frankly, it's an absurd spot that we now find ourselves in. for months and months we've heard certain reforms were need to drive down costs.

0:04:29 to 0:04:49( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: yet now, analysts have that these proposals would actually increase costs; the people who were arguing for them are trying harder than ever to get these proposals quickly as possible. the irreducible fact is this: while americans have been saying we need more affordable health care, the democratic plan makes not reform.

0:04:50 to 0:05:10( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: we have the testimony of the joint committee on congressional budget office, the administration's office of the actuary at the centers for medicare and medicaid services and spraeupt analysis by many others each have said the proposals we've seen would lead to higher premiums and these higher premiums would especially hit

0:05:11 to 0:05:32( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: the young, healthy and small business owners. here's the breakdown: premiums for young people nearly 70% and even more than millions of americans who have chosen a plan that fit their needs and their budgets will be forced to a significant cost. like most of my colleagues, i'm particularly concerned about what these plans will mean for

0:05:33 to 0:05:55( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: the families i represent and reports is disturbing. as a result of all the various new rules, regulations and tax increases that would come about as a result of the democratic health care plan, a family of four in kentucky that earns $66,000 a year is estimated see their insurance premium

0:05:56 to 0:06:17( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: double -- double -- from $355 to $787 a month. the other side will say that they intend to provide subsidies for but those subsidies would cover only half of the increase. so even after these are applied, this fam paying an extra $180 a month. as any family will tell you,

0:06:18 to 0:06:39( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: that's $180 towards a college fund, to retirement account or toward a family vacation. new taxes would also contribute to higher premiums. the same goes for new taxes on lifesaving prescription drugs and new taxes on insurance providers. one independent study shows that the new taxes and fees would add nearly $500 a year to the cost

0:06:40 to 0:07:00( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: of insurance for american families. the congressional budget office also predicts a new charge to participate in scalled exchanges would lead to private health care plans to increase their premiums by about 3%. that's on top of all the other forces in this bill that work to drive up americans' health insurance premiums. th clear.

0:07:01 to 0:07:21( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: the democratic plan would not only raise taxes and slash medicare, it would also raise health insuranceremiums. this is not reform and it's certainly not what the american people were told they could expect. republicans have proposed a different approach, one that responds to one that respects the challenging economic environment we're in.

0:07:22 to 0:07:42( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: we're for helping small businesses find affordable health insurance options for their we're for providingndivid the same tax benefits for purchasing insurance that busine we're for protecting doctors from frivolous lawsuits that can focus on treating patients and lower their costs. we're for cracking down on the rampant waste and fraud that drive up the cost of health care.

0:07:43 to 0:08:00( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: and we're for the kind of wellness and prevention programs that have worked at places like contrast that with the other side's plan: a reform that was meant to cut costs has been shown to increase them. as i've said repeatedly, that's too late. it's not too late for the