Paul Tonko: “Thank you to my fellow New Yorker. I rise today opposed to the 31st edition of this legislation and urge my colleagues…”

“Thank you to my fellow New Yorker. I rise today opposed to the 31st edition of this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote against it. Just what are we doing here today on the floor of this House? Are we passing jobs bills that will help the middle class? No. Are we working together to help America recover from the recession? No. Are we passing a bill that has any chance of being signed into law? No. So what exactly are we doing? Are we politically posturing during an election year? Yes. Are we voting to repeal a law that more Americans support than oppose without any hint of a plan for replacement? Yes. Are we voting to deny 6.6 million young adults health benefits under their parents' insurance? Yes. Are we voting to raise costs for some 5.3 million seniors who pay for their prescription drugs? Yes. Are we voting to deny 17 million children with preexisting health conditions the opportunity for coverage? Yes. Are we voting to take away free screening and preventative checkups? Yes. So, Mr. Speaker, we can do better than this. Mr. Speaker, we must do better than this. The Supreme Court--the highest court in the land, a conservative- leaning court--has ruled, and the debate has ended over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Instead of repealing the health care bill for the 31st time in 19 straight months in a Congress that has done absolutely nothing to create jobs, isn't it time to move on to something--anything--that will help our struggling middle class?…”