WASHINGTON – This evening, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, delivered a speech on the House floor supporting historic health reform legislation. Below are U.S. Rep. DeGette’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
“Madame Speaker, just as when building a house, you have to first put down a foundation. Today, we are laying the foundation for a health care system that will provide every American access to high-quality care.
“A foundation that will immediately ban insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick—people like my childhood friend who lost his insurance when he got prostate cancer and later died too soon.
“A foundation that will, beginning this year will give tax credits to small businesses so they can offer affordable coverage to their employees; a foundation that will NOW give parents of young adults the ability to keep their kids on their policies while they start their careers; a foundation that will finally give adults with pre-existing conditions the ability to buy affordable insurance.
“And starting right away, insurance companies cannot exclude children like my own young daughter who have chronic conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, from coverage.
“Madame Speaker, this bill is just a foundation—we still need to build upon it. But it sets up a good, strong, foundation—one that will serve us now and in the years to come. Vote yes on this historic bill.”
“Madame Speaker, just as when building a house, you have to first put down a foundation. Today, we are laying the foundation for a health care system that will provide every American access to high-quality care.
“A foundation that will immediately ban insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick—people like my childhood friend who lost his insurance when he got prostate cancer and later died too soon.
“A foundation that will, beginning this year will give tax credits to small businesses so they can offer affordable coverage to their employees; a foundation that will NOW give parents of young adults the ability to keep their kids on their policies while they start their careers; a foundation that will finally give adults with pre-existing conditions the ability to buy affordable insurance.
“And starting right away, insurance companies cannot exclude children like my own young daughter who have chronic conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, from coverage.
“Madame Speaker, this bill is just a foundation—we still need to build upon it. But it sets up a good, strong, foundation—one that will serve us now and in the years to come. Vote yes on this historic bill.”
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