Political Quotes

“Would the gentleman yield? I thank the gentleman from Texas. This argument about the commerce clause and the Federal Government being able to regulate interstate commerce, I take this to the other side of the scenario that Mr. Lungren has laid out and take it down to the assumption that is in this bill that everybody in America is engaged in interstate commerce is relevant to health insurance. I would submit that in Texas or California or Georgia or Iowa, there is likely to have been, I will say certain to have been, and likely to still be, individuals born in those particular States that never participated in a health care program of any kind, lived within the State, didn't cross the State line to get an aspirin, and died, and never engaged in health care that could be even described as interstate commerce in any way. Yet this commerce clause would be broadened to the point of being so inclusive that not only would that, by inference, give Congress the authority to require a person to join a health club, but also to show up and exercise, tell us what we can and can't eat, and the commerce clause then would have no limits whatsoever. I am going to say that the individual that is born in one of those States, or any State in America that doesn't participate in a health care program that links the interstate commerce, is completely exempt under the commerce clause, and therefore that is one of the bases for which I believe this is an unconstitutional bill.”