Fairness for American Families Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, ``The Least Productive Congress Ever,'' that's the title of an article in today's Washington Post. Here is how the article begins:
Congress, in case you have been living on another planet for the last few years, doesn't do all that much these days.
So we are, debating again--for the 38th time--a bill to repeal all or part of our Nation's health security law. We've heard this broken record 37 times before and it sounds the same and it goes nowhere.
But there is more consequence to this partisan agenda than just wasting the American people's time and adding to the record of the least productive Congress ever. Wasting the American people's time 38 times wastes the American taxpayers' money. According to CBS News reports, this obsession to vote over and over and over 38 times on these partisan bills has cost the American taxpayers more than $50 million. That's an expensive ticket for political theater.
So what are the facts on this legislation? The Congressional Budget Office, our country's fiscal watchdog, says this about H.R. 2668: ``Health insurance premiums''--under this legislation--``for individually purchased coverage would be higher under H.R. 2668. In addition, the number of people with health insurance coverage would be reduced.''
Translated, the cost for health insurance and health care for Americans will go up and the number of Americans with insurance coverage will go down under this legislation.
Here is today's New York Times--and it says it all on the front page: ``Many New Yorkers Will See Big Savings on Health Plans Under the Current Law.'' How does it start? The article says:
Individuals buying health insurance on their own will see their premiums tumble next year in New York State as changes under the Federal health care law take effect.
The facts: health care insurance costs are going down. But this bill will repeal all or part of the health care security law.
This Congress is the least productive Congress ever, because instead of voting on a jobs agenda and growing our economy, this House is voting for the 38th time to do nothing. This House is out of touch with the American people. It is time this House caught up with the American people and work in bipartisanship to get Americans back to work and provide them more health security, not less.
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