Tom Harkin

Our plan for affordable, quality health care will save small businesses tens of billions of dollars in spending on health insurance premiums each year, saving tens of thousands of jobs each year.

Small businesses are woven into the fabric of the American dream: they reflect our pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit.

We're fighting for you. And help is on the way.

Our legislation will create health insurance exchanges that pool small businesses together and increase competition.

Health insurance companies should open their books and explain to the American people why they support a health insurance market for small businesses that is so dysfunctional, and so lacking in transparency.

This will also reduce premiums, because insurance companies will no longer be allowed to investigate the health condition of employees--eliminating the wasteful cost of underwriting.

This time, we will not fail.

I'm very pleased that our legislation will increase competition by providing small businesses with a choice of a public insurance plan.

So today I'm announcing my own investigation into the pricing practices of health insurance companies that sell policies to small businesses.

Our legislation will end the discriminatory insurance industry practice of jacking up premiums because an employee got sick or older or because the business hired a woman.

I won't tolerate another boardroom bailout or let a bill go forward to give taxpayer help to companies that don't need any more of it.

I am on the side of employees counting on promised pensions, good guy businesses trying to meet their obligations and taxpayers who shouldn't have to bail out the PBGC.

I will make sure that any legislation helps the people that deserve help.

Pensions are supposed to be a source of stability. But today, workers and retirees are losing sleep over losing their pensions.

Today, about one-half of all U.S. workers have absolutely no pension, no savings plan whatsoever.

The harsh reality is that the retirement security of millions of American workers and retirees is in jeopardy.

It is essential that we honor the President's promise to restore more openness and accountability to Government.

FOIA is an indispensable tool in protecting the people's right to know.

I have to leave to go chair my committee.

I am honored to be able to turn over the gavel this morning to Senator Lincoln.

I have been honored to chair this Committee and I have been honored to be on it for 25 years now.

I especially want to think Saxby Chambliss for a great working relationship, both personally and among our staff.

It would continue a program that began in 2005 to provide moneys for sidewalk improvements, for bikeways, for traffic calming along access roads to school.

I firmly believe this subcommittee should continue to fund the full District reform effort, including the OSP program.

I might note that 93 percent of the 216 students are now assigned to attend a DC Public School that is designated as in need of improvement.