Erik Paulsen: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Jenkins for her leadership and advocacy on…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Jenkins for her leadership and advocacy on behalf of consumers' choice in health care, and that is exactly what this bipartisan bill does and is all about. It is giving everyone the flexibility and the ability to make healthcare choices that are best for them and for their families, because no matter what your views are about the President's new healthcare law, you have to acknowledge that healthcare costs continue to go up for families, for small businesses, and for individuals alike. It is a pocketbook issue. Families want to have more tools and more flexibility to lower their costs and to set aside money to help pay for health care. Today, more and more people--nearly 20 million Americans--are using these health savings accounts to help save for health care. These are accounts that are used by regular, middle-income folks. In fact, the Joint Committee on Taxation just released brand new information, while we were gone on the Fourth of July recess, that points out that almost 80 percent of people who are using these HSA accounts are middle-income and low-income. Half of the folks had incomes between $75,000 and $200,000, and 27 percent of the folks had incomes below $75,000. This is because the HSA is a very important tool that gives families certainty to help lower their healthcare bills.…”