Senate Amendments To H.R. 3590, Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act Of 2009, And H.R. 4872, Health Care And Education Reconciliation Act Of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, for a moment let's think of this bill as a blanket, a blanket of health care legislation that may be draped across America and its population in the coming years. Unfortunately, this blanket is woven not from all hands working together, but is the handiwork of strong-arm, political deal-making, and, perhaps most disheartening, a resistance to listen to the American people.

Its cloth has been cut behind closed door, and its color is tinged by partisan hands. It is too short in some areas, and too long in others, woven to cover the winners and to leave out the losers. Once this blanket of legislation is laid out, those that huddle beneath it will find that it does not provide the real health care reform they need for their families. In fact, it will become a wall of government between them and their doctor.

Its huge holes will not protect the cold wind of job loss, new taxes, government bureaucracy, and increased health care costs. And though we hear of coming patches in the future, in all likelihood they will be made of the same flimsy fabric of broken promises.

All of America will feel the weight of this uncomfortable burden. The real cost of the $2.6 trillion bill will only increase in the future. States like mine, West Virginia, will feel the weight in huge budget shortfalls caused by millions of dollars in unfunded mandates. States must balance their budgets and will be forced to absorb the massive increase in Medicaid spending demanded by this bill.

But, the full burden will be paid by those who enjoyed this beautiful spring day, playing outside in backyards across America. Little do they know as they play that we are on the cusp of burdening them with generational debt. The Speaker and her team will drape this legislation across citizens, ignoring their pleas against it. And America will again shake its head in disbelief and ask how Washington can turn a deaf ear and be so disconnected from the American people.

If we stand here in obedience to our purpose, the Congress will be an effective representation of the people of the United States. We should stop this unfortunate endeavor, take a step back and listen, listen to the heartbeat of America, the beat that yearns for true health care reform, the beat that asks for bipartisan government committed to solving America's problems, the beat that asks that we put America's families first. America deserves this. America deserves to be heard.

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