Crenshaw Health Care Floor Speech on Public Option

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Ander Crenshaw made the following statement regarding the public option in health care reform on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on October 27, 2009.

“Mr. Speaker, it has been pointed out that our Democratic colleagues have been drafting this health care plan behind closed doors, in the darkness of night; but yesterday, one of them emerged in the Senate--the majority leader--and he announced the best way to proceed with this plan is to have a government option with an opt-out provision for the States.

“What does that mean? Nobody knows. How do you opt out? Nobody knows. How long do you have to be in before you opt out? Nobody knows. What if all of the States decide to opt out? Nobody knows.

“We do know a couple of things: Number one, we do know under this Democratic plan your taxes are going to go up. We do know under this Democratic plan your Medicare benefits are going to go down. We do know under this Democratic plan there are going to be more bureaucrats controlling your health care.

“So they're trying to keep us in the dark, but we know enough to know this: This is a bad plan and there is a better way.”

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