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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Mr. TONKO. Today we answer the clarion call from the American people to fix our Nation's broken health care system. Today is the day we deliver on that promise with a vote as historic as the creation of Social Security and Medicare.

Today I will cast my vote in favor of putting the control back into the hands of American families and small businesses and their doctors. No longer will insurance companies be able to hold people hostage by raising rates and abuse sick people by dropping and denying coverage. Small businesses will no longer see their premiums skyrocket and will not have to make the painful decision to stop offering health insurance to their employees because the costs have climbed too high.

Indeed, this bill is about freedom. Every American will now have the freedom from control of insurance companies and their record profits and will have the freedom to access the care they need, when they need it. Our seniors will have the freedom to enjoy Medicare for years to come, and they will have the freedom from worrying about the cost of their prescription drugs.

The bottom line for me, Mr. Speaker, is whether the people in the capital region of New York will be better off with these reforms, and my answer is yes. Absolutely, yes.

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