John Cornyn: “I wish to speak briefly on the amendment that has been offered by the Republican leader, Senator McConnell, that would…”

“I wish to speak briefly on the amendment that has been offered by the Republican leader, Senator McConnell, that would, in effect, repeal the health care bill that was passed on Christmas Eve at 7 a.m. in the morning about 1 year ago--1 year ago this last Christmas Eve. Since the time the bill was passed, strictly along party lines, with 60 votes--all our colleagues on the Democratic side voted for it; all the folks on our side voted against it--we predicted this bill would lead to an increase in premiums for those who have health insurance, it would raise taxes on everyone in order to fund this huge expansion of the Federal Government--some $2.7 trillion worth of extra spending--and it would also take a $1/2 trillion from Medicare--which, as you know, is one of our troubled entitlement programs that is sorely in need of reform--it takes $1/2 trillion from Medicare to fund yet a new entitlement program, this health care bill. We also know that on at least two occasions now a Federal judge has found that this bill violates the Constitution of the United States because both these judges have said Congress has overreached its authority under the Constitution.”