Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy for permitting me to add my voice to this discussion. I think we are all deeply concerned about impacts that we have on our constituents, whether it is in terms of tax, expenses in terms of health care, or challenges in their day-to-day life. What is deeply concerning to me is an inability for us to step back and look at these things in a broader context to be able to prioritize and deal with these items in a way that actually provides some sense of balance. Now, I will be the first to admit that I had some reservations about some of the funding elements that were part of the Affordable Care Act. I would not have used exactly the same structure, but bear in mind that the investment in the Affordable Care Act has provided significant healthcare subsidies for millions of Americans, which my friend and colleague, Congressman Levin, can go through in great detail. But what we are looking at here are three problems. One, if this bill were to move forward, it would invest $33 billion, either added to the deficit or cutting other programs. Now, I think it is important to bear in mind that this Congress has been tied in knots, unable to come up with a billion or two to deal with the Zika crisis, the infections that are taking place, the potential of an epidemic starting in places like Florida and Puerto Rico, but putting people at risk around the country. This is an immediate healthcare crisis.…”