Regarding Health Care Reform

Floor Speech

* Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to show you the headlines from my community: ``It's Official: It's a Stinker.'' And what's a stinker? According to the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey, in Los Angeles County 22.3 percent of the people do not have health insurance. In Long Beach, 18.8 percent have no insurance; in Compton, 25.5 percent. In other words, one out of four people are without health insurance. And that should matter to all of us.

* Why are we the only industrialized nation that doesn't provide health care? Why is it that my friends on the other side of the aisle can support spending billions for a war, but we can't spend the same for health care? Something is wrong.

* Today, the rising number of uninsured, along with the increasing costs of healthcare, has adversely affected our economy. The rising cost of health care burdens American businesses as they weigh health benefit costs against other business investments. It is estimated that by 2015, the share of the national economy devoted to health care will increase from 14 to 20 percent. Growing health care expenses make our businesses much less competitive in the global marketplace, and restrict job creation here at home. In addition, every percentage increase in the unemployment rate results in 1 million more people becoming uninsured. Providing health care for the uninsured costs insured American families an extra $100 billion every year.

* I applaud Congress and the Senate for stepping up and tackling this problem. We need to do this, and we need to do it now. The hour is late, the need is great, we cannot wait. Congress must pass comprehensive legislation this year.

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