Correcting the Enrollment Of H.R. 1473

Floor Speech

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Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, among the many programs which others have talked about that would be blown up with this measure is the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, which is one of the most successful aspects of the health care law. Over 5,000 employers all across America, over half of the Fortune 500 companies--like Coca-Cola, General Electric, UTC, General Dynamics--have all signed up with this program, which, using the same principles as flood insurance, is buttressing and strengthening early retiree benefits which have been collapsing over the last 20 years.

These are the companies that are going to go out and hire people, particularly young people, because early retirement allows their workforce to have a natural change so that young people can find jobs. The economy created 200,000 last month. It is because of programs, like the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, which the health care law created. We should not end that program by passing this resolution. These employers have signed up in good faith, and that good faith deserves our commitment to follow through on the program that this country offered them. That's a strategy. That's a winning strategy to create jobs for this country.

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