On the recordFebruary 10, 2011
I am again disappointed. This is a tax credit. The Senator from Wyoming knows this, as many colleagues do. This brings back the issue of health care generally. A bunch of us in this body who get our health insurance from taxpayers are not willing to assist people who have lost their jobs. The health care tax credit is available, just as COBRA is available. But tell me for most American workers that COBRA is not a cruel hoax. COBRA is what you get if you lose your job. You can keep your insurance. You have to pay the employer side and your own side. You are working at a job making $40,000 a year. You pay your insurance, and your employer pays part of your insurance also. If you lose your job, you keep paying your own insurance, but you have to pay the employer's part too. What kind of workers can get laid off and have the money to pay both? Is it still available? Sure it is. Isn't that a wonderful thing? Aren't we great in this body? The fact is, it is not available. For Senators who want to repeal health care, for Senators who want to strip any assistance, because in the end it does strip assistance that the health care tax credit gives, it is basically turning our backs and saying to these workers: Sorry about that. Sorry about NAFTA. Sorry about PNTR. I know you lost your job because of the trade agreements. Sorry about losing your health insurance. Sorry about not having any job training money.
