On the recordJanuary 18, 2011
I rise in favor of this bill. I can't tell you how excited I am to hear the language coming from the other side of the Chamber this evening. I am hearing discussions about the importance of cutting deficits and the importance of keeping spending in line. It makes me wonder, Mr. Speaker, what has been happening here for the last several years. At least when it comes to this side of the aisle, I think we have been consistent with that message over the course of this debate. I don't know where the other side was when we got the information that said this bill actually cost trillions of dollars. I don't know where this attitude about being fiscally responsible was when we got information from the chief actuary at Medicare and Medicaid who said this bill was unsustainable in its spending. I don't know where they were with this attitude when we heard from that same body that this bill actually raised the cost of health care versus not passing the bill. But, Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily excited to hear this level of discussion because, as a member of the Budget Committee, I look forward to this level of debate continuing beyond this bill, beyond the health care discussion and into the upcoming discussion on the budget because my guess is if we have this level of discussion on health care, then the budget will be an easy, easy debate this year, and we will be able to make dramatic inroads to cutting our spending.
