Susan Davis: “I support the health reform bill that this body will consider tomorrow, yet section 1501 of the Senate bill needs to be…”

“I support the health reform bill that this body will consider tomorrow, yet section 1501 of the Senate bill needs to be modified to ensure that the insurance our brave men and women in uniform have qualifies as 'minimum essential coverage' under the new law. I already believe that TRICARE and the nonappropriated fund health plans will meet the minimum requirements for individual health insurance coverage in the health care bill. Yet like Mr. Skelton, I believe this legislation should explicitly state that these health plans meet the minimum threshold. As chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, I am a strong proponent of the TRICARE system and do not want that great benefit threatened in any way by health care reform in the United States. Fixing section 1501 of the Senate bill will help achieve this goal and will remove any ambiguity for men and women in uniform and for my colleagues who do not believe that the current bill goes far enough to protect those who serve. Mr. Speaker, this language to protect TRICARE originally passed the House Education and Labor Committee on a bipartisan basis. I remember it. I was there. I would ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to put aside politics for this one vote and help pass a measure that will allow our men and women in uniform to focus on their mission, not their health insurance. I urge a 'yes' vote on this measure.”