On the recordFebruary 2, 2011
I rise in strong, vehement opposition to the amendment offered by the minority leader, Senator McConnell, to repeal the health care reform law. First, I would say to my good friend from Nevada, yes, we would like to work together to further reduce costs, but this bill does reduce costs significantly. The CBO has said in no uncertain terms that repeal would balloon the deficit by $230 billion in the first decade and more than $1 trillion in the second decade. That is because the law smokes out a good deal of the waste, the inefficiency, and the duplication that we all know is part of our system. That is the place where we have to continue to work together. Our country delivers the best health care in the world, but it is also the most inefficient. We spend 17 percent of our GDP on health care. The next highest spending country is only 10 percent. Under the reformed law, we will begin the first large step in keeping quality care but getting costs under control. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle said: You know, you are right; we have to reduce costs, we have a better way and they offered a bill on the floor, well, then, maybe we would take a look at it. But they are silent. It is very easy to sit there and say repeal, but what would they put in its place?
