On the recordJanuary 19, 2011
I thank my friend from Michigan for yielding the time. Madam Speaker, today we consider the first major piece of legislation of the 112th Congress--the first. Does this legislation create one job? Not one single job will be created by this legislation. In fact, if this bill were to become law, over 4 million jobs that will be created over the next 10 years will not come to fruition. Does this bill reduce the deficit? This bill does not reduce the deficit by one penny. In fact, if it became law, it would increase the deficit by $230 billion. Does it strengthen our middle class? No, this bill will not strengthen our middle class. It will devastate the lives of millions of Americans who are finally free from the fear that they or their children will not have health insurance. I've heard from so many throughout my constituency and throughout this country of the importance of what this bill has done for their lives. I'm not going to go back and tell them today that that's all undone. And despite what you may say on the other side of the aisle, if this bill becomes law, 3 million people in this country who have received checks for $250 will have to pay that money back. There is no alternative. You can say what you want. But as this law is written, that's exactly what will happen. For the 20 million children who now have insurance, who's going to pay the costs for what they have incurred so far? Are their parents going to pay it? Are they responsible for it?
