On the recordMarch 10, 2010
there have been a lot of issues brought up on the floor of the Senate recently, and two that seem to be front and center are the health care reform bill and questions related to our national debt and the annual deficits we run into. I have listened as many on the other side of the aisle have come to the floor and argued to do two things: first, kill the health care reform bill, and second, reduce our Nation's debt. Unfortunately, that is a mixed message, an inconsistent message, and it is one that really defies logic. We know the increasing cost of health care is adding to the expenses of the Federal Government, State governments, and local governments. If we do not do something to suppress, if not reduce, the cost of health care, we are going to see a dramatic increase in our deficits. The bill before us attempts to create mechanisms to start bringing down the increase in the cost of health care. Anyone who would stand before you and say, well, if you pass health care reform, next year's health care premiums are going to go down, I do not think is telling the truth. I think it is likely they would go up. But what we are tying to do is slow the rate of increase.
