Mr. Speaker,

Republicans have listened to the American people; it is clear from the Speaker’s health care bill, the Democratic majority has not.

The Speaker crafted this bill behind closed doors and added one-thousand pages that have never been before a committee or had any input from the American people. 

Just yesterday we confirmed Americans could face five years in jail if they don’t comply with the bill’s demands to buy “approved” health insurance.  And who know what else we will discover over time?

Simply put, the health care of the American people is too important and too complex to risk on this gigantic gamble.  This bill will do lasting damage to our economy and force millions of Americans to give up their current health care coverage.

With the national unemployment rate spiking to 10.2 percent yesterday, it should be unthinkable to pass this bill which contains more than $730 billion in new taxes that will destroy millions more American jobs.

The Democrats’ bill cuts Medicare by one-half trillion dollars, slashing health care benefits for seniors – a direct violation of the President’s pledge that Americans could keep what they have and like.

The Democrats’ bill – when paired with an unpaid for SGR fix – increases the deficit; a violation of the President’s pledge that health care reform would not add one dime to the debt.

The Democrats’ bill drives up the cost of health care and increases federal spending on health care by $600 billion – a violation of the President’s pledge that health care reform would bend down the cost curve.

So, 

• you can’t keep what you have and like; 
• the bill spends over one-trillion dollars while raising taxes, cutting Medicare, and increasing the deficit; and, 
• it drives up the cost of health care.

The Democrat majority has not listened to the American people.  Vote NO.

###