Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 115 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 No. 91 Senate The Senate met at 10:30 a.m. and was Senator from the State of Alabama, to per- blame belongs with ObamaCare. The called to order by the Honorable LU- form the duties of the Chair. official report said that since THER STRANGE, a Senator from the ORRIN G. HATCH, ObamaCare’s full enactment in 2013, State of Alabama. President pro tempore. premiums had, on average, doubled in Mr. STRANGE thereupon assumed f the vast majority of States that use the Chair as Acting President pro tem- ObamaCare’s Federal exchange, and PRAYER pore. premiums even tripled in a handful of The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f others. Think about that. Premiums doubled in the vast majority of these fered the following prayer: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY States, and premiums tripled in a Let us pray. LEADER Gracious Father, fill our govern- handful of others. There is no serious ment’s legislative branch with Your The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- way to now try to spin away these truth. Where it is in need of purging, pore. The majority leader is recog- years and years of ObamaCare’s fail- cleanse it. Where it is in error, direct nized. ures on cost. it. Where anything is amiss, reform it. f By the same token, there is no seri- ous way to try to spin away or ignore Where it is right, strengthen and con- HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION firm it. Where it is in want, furnish it. the years and years of ObamaCare’s Where it is divided, unite it. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, failures on choice. Just take a look at Today, use our lawmakers for Your what has happened in the years since the chart behind me. It shows that 49 purposes. As they have the opportuni- Democrats forced ObamaCare on our percent of the counties in my State ties, may they strive to do good for country? Health choices have plum- have just one insurer. Half of the coun- Your glory. Guide and strengthen them meted downward year after year. ties—one choice. And when you have as You provide for their needs. Lord, Health costs have skyrocketed higher one choice, you have no choice at all. remind them that they are laborers to- year after year. And what have Demo- That is the latest in a long-term trend gether with You. crats, who promised the opposite, done we have seen under ObamaCare. To add We pray in Your sacred Name. Amen. all these years since, as Republicans insult to injury, predictions show that repeatedly warned we had to act before next year could be even worse for fami- f ObamaCare hurt more Americans on lies when it comes to their choices PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE its inevitable path to collapse? Well, under this law. they have done basically nothing. They Unfortunately, my State is not alone The Presiding Officer led the Pledge said we were exaggerating. They were either. This year, there are 26 States of Allegiance, as follows: wrong. They said things would get bet- with at least 1 county where residents I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ter. They got even worse. Rather than have just 1 insurance option under United States of America, and to the Repub- work with us to fix healthcare, they lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ObamaCare. That means millions of indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. pretended things were fine, while more Americans living in more than 1,000 Americans got hurt. counties across our country really have f So you can imagine my surprise no choice at all. APPOINTMENT OF ACTING when Democrats recently sent a letter Thanks to ObamaCare, things could PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE that essentially conceded that the sta- again get even worse next year. Just tus quo of ObamaCare is unsustainable. yesterday, tens of thousands of Missou- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Was it because they actually wanted to rians across 25 counties—from small clerk will please read a communication work together on reform? I sure wish towns to Kansas City—learned that to the Senate from the President pro that were the case, but so far it seems they may join the ranks of Americans tempore (Mr. HATCH). part of a new strategy to—get this— without a single insurance option to The assistant bill clerk read the fol- blame someone other than themselves choose from next year—not one— lowing letter: for the failures of ObamaCare. Did they thanks to ObamaCare and its years- U.S. SENATE, actually think anyone was going to long trend of fewer and fewer choices. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, buy this? Come on. Does any of that sound like what Washington, DC, May 25, 2017. To the Senate: Just the other day, a bombshell re- Americans were promised? Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, port came out that reminded us ex- A mother in Louisville recently of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby actly where the blame for ObamaCare’s wrote to my office begging for Mem- appoint the Honorable LUTHER STRANGE, a failures has always belonged. The bers of Congress to address the failures. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S3159 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 May 26, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A25MY6.000 S25MYPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S3160 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 25, 2017 ‘‘Middle class Kentuckians are hurting mously ‘‘well qualified.’’ In other 15th State of this Nation in 1792. So because of ObamaCare,’’ she said. words, the people involved in rating today I rise to celebrate my home ‘‘Residents [have] little choice for him couldn’t find anybody who didn’t State of Kentucky, the Commonwealth health plans’’ and ‘‘our family is not say he was well qualified. That is the of Kentucky, a place the Native Amer- the only one suffering from the high highest rating one can achieve. ican Wyandot Nation called the ‘‘land costs of health insurance.’’ She con- Judge Thapar has the necessary cre- of tomorrow.’’ cluded, ‘‘I hope you will push hard to dentials, integrity, and respect from Once considered the far western fron- fix our healthcare system.’’ his colleagues to join the Sixth Circuit. tier, Kentucky has developed into a I know many of my colleagues have I am proud to support him, and I urge State with diverse industries, a strong received letters like this one from all Senators to vote to confirm Judge heritage, and international promi- their constituents as well. Thapar’s nomination later today. nence. ObamaCare has caused so much pain f When you think about my home for families across our country, and it State, many things follow as distinctly is not going to just magically somehow MEMORIAL DAY Kentuckian. The natural beauty of our get better on its own. I know that, like Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, as mountains, farmlands, and riverways so many families across the country, I we approach the Memorial Day week- foster deep love. Blessed with fertile am not satisfied with the ObamaCare end, we are reminded of the great sac- land and an abundance of coal, Ken- status quo, and I don’t think it is ac- rifices so many men and women in uni- tucky’s cultural heritage has developed ceptable for its failures to be consid- form have made on our behalf through- in both the fields and the mines. The ered the new normal. As the people of out the years. The servicemembers proud tradition of the Commonwealth Kentucky have shown in election after whose memory we honor paid the ulti- includes bourbon and basketball, but election, they don’t either. mate price in defending our Nation, our also pioneers, statesmen, artists, schol- Senate Republicans are working to- families, and our freedom. We are for- ars, and athletes. gether to move past the problems of ever indebted to them. But as we re- From the days of Daniel Boone’s he- ObamaCare and to help those who have flect upon the fallen soldiers, sailors, roic exploration through the Cum- been hurt by it. We would love for airmen, and marines, we are also re- berland Gap, Kentucky has been home Democrats to join us. Democrats have minded of the responsibility we have to to numerous courageous men and already effectively conceded that the heroes who have returned home— women. The trailblazing spirit has ani- ObamaCare has failed. Now the ques- our veterans. mated Kentuckians from all walks of tion is, Will they work with us to actu- I don’t have to tell colleagues how life throughout the generations. A pio- ally fix this mess, or will they waste important keeping our commitment to neer of abdominal surgery, Ephraim more time in some futile attempt to our veterans is. We have an All-Volun- McDowell expanded the boundaries of now redirect blame? The ObamaCare teer Force. We cannot break faith with medical science. Tori Murden McClure status quo is unsustainable. It is inde- the Americans who bravely and will- rowed across the Atlantic Ocean as the fensible, and we have to move beyond ingly fight on our behalf. One way we first American and first woman to it before more Americans get hurt.