Start Over and Get it Right
December 10, 2009
‘The majority leader said we’d be working every weekend. We take him at his word. We expect to be here this weekend — and we look forward to it. Republicans are convinced there’s nothing more important we could do than to stop this bill and start over with the kind of step-by-step reforms Americans really want’
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the importance of getting it right on health care reform:
“The American people have seen what Democrats in Congress plan to do with seniors’ health care. They’ve looked on in disbelief as almost every Democrat in the Senate voted again and again to slash Medicare.
“Now they’re watching in disbelief as Democrats float the idea of herding millions more into this near-bankrupt program as part of a backroom deal to force their plan for health care on the American people by Christmas.
“Every day it seems we hear new revelations about the secret conference room deliberations where Democrats are frantically working to get their sixty votes by Christmas. And every day we hear about some new idea they’ve come up with for creating a government plan by another name.
“This week’s version would have the Office of Personnel Management running the program — an idea that was shot down almost as soon as it was announced by a former OPM director, who said it couldn’t be done. "I flat out think that OPM doesn't have the capacity to do this type of role.”
“This is precisely the kind of approach Americans are tired of in Washington — and this is precisely the kind of health care plan Americans didn’t want.
“Seniors thought they could expect lower costs. What they’re getting instead is an assault on their Medicare. Small business owners thought they could expect lower costs. What they’re getting instead are higher taxes, stiff fines and costly mandates. Working Americans thought they’d get more efficiency, less fraud, cheaper rates. What they’re getting instead are new bureaucracies and higher costs.
“Business leaders from across the country enthusiastically support the idea of health care reform. They know better than anyone that costs are out of control and that something needs to be done. But they’ve read the bill Democrats in Congress have come up with. They’re telling us this isn’t it.
“Not only won’t this bill solve the problem, they say. It makes existing problems worse.
“The Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was here yesterday. He said there’s a desperate need for reform — reform that bends the cost curve down. He said that unfortunately this bill fails the test.
“He said this bill will only lead businesses to lower wages, decrease working hours, reduce hiring, and cut jobs. He said it adds to the deficit. It adds to the debt. It includes massive new spending programs and entitlements, and incredibly, as I’ve noted, it also borrows from existing entitlement programs.
“Businesses look at this bill and they see:
* Half a trillion dollars in new taxes
* As many as 10 million employees at risk of losing their coverage
* Crushing new mandate
“This is not reform.
“This bill doesn’t solve our problems — it spreads them.
“That’s why seniors don’t like this bill. That’s why job creators don’t like this bill. And that’s why public opinion has dramatically shifted against this bill.
“Americans want reform. But this is not the one they asked for. This bill is fundamentally flawed, and it can’t be fixed.
“Americans want us to stop. They want us to start over and get it right.
“Democrats should stop talking at the American people and start listening to them.
“Republicans are prepared to provide a platform for that debate for as long as it takes.
“The majority leader said we’d be working every weekend. We take him at his word. We expect to be here this weekend — and we look forward to it.
“Republicans are convinced there’s nothing more important we could do than to stop this bill and start over with the kind of step-by-step reforms Americans really want.
“We have amendments. We want votes. We’ve been waiting since Tuesday to have more votes. We’re eager to continue this debate.”
###
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the importance of getting it right on health care reform:
“The American people have seen what Democrats in Congress plan to do with seniors’ health care. They’ve looked on in disbelief as almost every Democrat in the Senate voted again and again to slash Medicare.
“Now they’re watching in disbelief as Democrats float the idea of herding millions more into this near-bankrupt program as part of a backroom deal to force their plan for health care on the American people by Christmas.
“Every day it seems we hear new revelations about the secret conference room deliberations where Democrats are frantically working to get their sixty votes by Christmas. And every day we hear about some new idea they’ve come up with for creating a government plan by another name.
“This week’s version would have the Office of Personnel Management running the program — an idea that was shot down almost as soon as it was announced by a former OPM director, who said it couldn’t be done. "I flat out think that OPM doesn't have the capacity to do this type of role.”
“This is precisely the kind of approach Americans are tired of in Washington — and this is precisely the kind of health care plan Americans didn’t want.
“Seniors thought they could expect lower costs. What they’re getting instead is an assault on their Medicare. Small business owners thought they could expect lower costs. What they’re getting instead are higher taxes, stiff fines and costly mandates. Working Americans thought they’d get more efficiency, less fraud, cheaper rates. What they’re getting instead are new bureaucracies and higher costs.
“Business leaders from across the country enthusiastically support the idea of health care reform. They know better than anyone that costs are out of control and that something needs to be done. But they’ve read the bill Democrats in Congress have come up with. They’re telling us this isn’t it.
“Not only won’t this bill solve the problem, they say. It makes existing problems worse.
“The Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was here yesterday. He said there’s a desperate need for reform — reform that bends the cost curve down. He said that unfortunately this bill fails the test.
“He said this bill will only lead businesses to lower wages, decrease working hours, reduce hiring, and cut jobs. He said it adds to the deficit. It adds to the debt. It includes massive new spending programs and entitlements, and incredibly, as I’ve noted, it also borrows from existing entitlement programs.
“Businesses look at this bill and they see:
* Half a trillion dollars in new taxes
* As many as 10 million employees at risk of losing their coverage
* Crushing new mandate
“This is not reform.
“This bill doesn’t solve our problems — it spreads them.
“That’s why seniors don’t like this bill. That’s why job creators don’t like this bill. And that’s why public opinion has dramatically shifted against this bill.
“Americans want reform. But this is not the one they asked for. This bill is fundamentally flawed, and it can’t be fixed.
“Americans want us to stop. They want us to start over and get it right.
“Democrats should stop talking at the American people and start listening to them.
“Republicans are prepared to provide a platform for that debate for as long as it takes.
“The majority leader said we’d be working every weekend. We take him at his word. We expect to be here this weekend — and we look forward to it.
“Republicans are convinced there’s nothing more important we could do than to stop this bill and start over with the kind of step-by-step reforms Americans really want.
“We have amendments. We want votes. We’ve been waiting since Tuesday to have more votes. We’re eager to continue this debate.”
###
