Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2010
Floor Speech
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010 -- (House of Representatives - April 01, 2009)
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Ms. DeLAURO. This budget addresses our Nation's priorities. It confronts our economic crisis. It makes critical investments in our long-term growth. It cuts the deficit by nearly two-thirds and cuts taxes for middle-class Americans. It reduces wasteful spending while making long overdue investments to get our country back on track.
At its core, the idea is that we cannot fix our economy without fixing our health care, as the gentlewoman spoke about. Every day I hear stories from my constituents about a broken system; the woman who lost her job and health care benefits, the small business owner struggling to offer health care coverage to his or her employees, people with preexisting conditions who cannot find a health insurance policy at any cost.
There are no easy answers when it comes to making our health care system work for everyone. One thing is clear: This is our window of opportunity. The country cannot wait another year. Bills are piling up, and people are putting off the health care they need. This budget is essential to ensuring quality, affordable health care for all of our citizens. And it says to them, as my colleague knows, it gives them flexibility, keep what you have now, or you have a choice of a private or a public health insurance plan.
This budget takes action to control the underlying cost of health care. It addresses chronic illness on which we spend 75 cents of every health care dollar. We must do a better job encouraging healthier life styles. It covers preventive services and improves care coordination, all of which improves the quality and creates a more efficient health care system that delivers better care, not just more care. And finally, we need to reform this broken health care system, not in spite of our struggling economy, but because of it.
I urge my colleagues to stand behind this responsible budget. It is the foundation of a strong economy, future growth and true health care reform. I thank the gentlewoman for leading this segment of the budget debate. Health care is what our future needs to be about. This budget does it.
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