Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2, Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act; Providing for Consideration of H. Res. 9, Instructing Certain Committees to Report Legislation Replacing the Job-Killing Health Care Law; and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill, the most expensive one-page bill in the history of Congress, and it costs the taxpayers a little over $200 billion the first 10 years alone, and over $1 trillion overall.

Not only have the Republicans, as the first bill that we are doing a rule on and facing here on the floor, put forward the most expensive one-page bill in the history of Congress, but it is not paid for, Madam Speaker.

In addition to not being paid for, they have waived many of the notice-for-transparency requirements, the regular order that they sought to establish with regard to the way that this Congress is run.

Madam Speaker, there were many good ideas and good amendments that were brought forward by Members of both parties yesterday during our session of the Rules Committee. I want to talk about a few in particular.

One, my colleague from Michigan, Gary Peters, brought a proposal that would have made sure that this biggest one-page expenditure in the history of Congress did not raise taxes on small businesses. Unfortunately, that amendment is not made in order under this rule, and therefore H.R. 2 will be raising taxes on small businesses across the country that are now receiving tax credits for providing health care for their employees.

There was also a lot of discussion, and I think it is important that the American people know, with regard to people with preexisting conditions. Now, we all want to do something for people with preexisting conditions. There was talk yesterday, and, in fact, when we are talking about H.R. 9, there might be discussion in the future with regard to agreeing on high-risk pools for people with preexisting conditions. But what this body is being asked to do today and next week is effectively replace something that works for people with preexisting conditions, namely, eliminating pricing discriminations, with some vague assurance on paper that perhaps some day some committee, some chairman might consider, we ask them kindly to consider something that will do something for people with preexisting conditions. Well, Madam Speaker, that is simply not enough for the people that have the preexisting conditions today, for those who will in the future.

If we want to talk about improving upon health care, there is ample room to do it, but not by eliminating any protections that exist.

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