On the recordFebruary 18, 2011
I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio). Mr. DeFAZIO. Republicans seem to be pretending that emergency room care is free. Every insured American is paying an extra 1,100 bucks this year--$1,400 in Oregon--for those who are uninsured. We want to begin to address that problem, get them in earlier, get them treatment, less expensive, don't pass the costs on to other Americans. Personal responsibility. We outlawed the worst abuses of the insurance industry--canceling your policy when you get sick even though you've been paying the premiums, preventing people from getting health care because of a pre- existing condition. I heard from a dad whose young son with birth defects is finally getting covered for those issues because of this law. And then the students I met at Lane Community College--21, 22, 23 years old, getting an education, wanting to get in the workforce--they thanked me for their health insurance. They need that health insurance. The Republicans said they were going to repeal and replace. Well, they've been pretty darn silent on the replace side, maybe because it upsets their patrons in the insurance industry who are so generous at campaign time.
