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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 111 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 155 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2009 No. 53 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was dures, the most days in a hospital. This traordinary measures as our default, called to order by the Speaker pro tem- is clearly the time of greatest stress and have signed instructions accord- pore (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas). both for the patient and the family as ingly. f they watch their loved one enter what What we find, however, is that too is often a struggle in these last few many people don’t have access to the DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO months. counseling and activities for them to TEMPORE The evidence is that this is the hard- be able to make an informed decision. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- est period to be able to make those The irony is that the Medicare system fore the House the following commu- critical decisions. We don’t want to will spend thousands and thousands of force spur-of-the-moment action for nication from the Speaker: dollars on intense medical interven- families when they are talking about WASHINGTON, DC, tion, intense medical activities, but things that have great consequence for March 30, 2009. they won’t spend a few dollars to pay a the quality of life for not just a ‘‘pa- I hereby appoint the Honorable SHEILA doctor to have a conversation with a tient’’ but a family member, the abil- JACKSON-LEE to act as Speaker pro tempore patient and the family about what they on this day. ity to extend the quality of life, and can expect, what their choices are, and NANCY PELOSI, perhaps deal with recovery. This is also Speaker of the House of Representatives. the worst time for people to go on to be able to engage with the patient and the family to decide what they f autopilot check out, to have a default option where they just turn decisions want to have happen. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE over to whatever the local medical ac- I guess that we don’t do it to save The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- tivity may be on that site without a money; but the evidence suggests that ant to the order of the House of Janu- thought and consequence to what the when people actually have a choice, ary 6, 2009, the Chair will now recog- individual wishes of the patient and they choose things that not only im- nize Members from lists submitted by their family may be. prove their quality of life, but actually the majority and minority leaders for There is strong evidence that in save money. Why don’t we give indi- morning-hour debate. many cases the very intensive activi- vidual patients and their families that The Chair will alternate recognition ties—the tubes, the procedures, the op- choice under Medicare? between the parties, with each party erations, the ventilators—actually That’s why I will be introducing the limited to 30 minutes and each Mem- don’t prolong life, and they certainly Life Sustaining Treatment Preferences ber, other than the majority and mi- impact in a negative sense the quality Act which will provide coverage under nority leaders and the minority whip, of life, the way that the patient may be Medicare for consultations regarding limited to 5 minutes. able to interact with their family and end-of-life treatment options. It is friends in those last few days and their time for Medicare to be able to address f mind-set and their pain level. the needs that will truly reflect the This research has sparked action LIFE SUSTAINING TREATMENT preferences, the wishes, and the qual- PREFERENCES ACT from coast to coast. Many States have developed a new end-of-life care direc- ity-of-life choices for Medicare patients The SPEAKER pro tempore. The tive called Orders For Life Sustaining and their families. It is the humane, Chair recognizes the gentleman from Treatment. They are being developed compassionate thing to do. It will help Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- in over 30 States. They help the seri- us allocate our health care resources utes. ously ill patient identify their treat- more appropriately to treat what peo- Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, ment preferences using clear, standard- ple want, and it will relieve the pres- as we approach health care reform, ized language. It is written as action- sure on the health care system so the there is no area that is more vital for able medical orders signed by a physi- default isn’t always the most intensive, honest discussion and careful analysis cian, and they help communicate pa- expensive interventions that often de- than what happens at end of a patient’s tient preferences regarding the inten- teriorate the quality of life in those life. For most of us, we will get the ma- sity of medical intervention, transfers final days. jority of our lifetime health care in to hospitals, use of antibiotics, artifi- I would urge my colleagues to look at that last year. Indeed, for many it is cially administered nutrition and re- this option and join me in making sure just the last few months of life, we use suscitation. that we modernize Medicare to meet the most doctor care, the most inter- Members of my family and I have the needs of patients and their families vention in terms of medical proce- concluded that we don’t want those ex- in their final hours. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H4065 . VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:38 Mar 31, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A30MR7.000 H30MRPT1 rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with HOUSE H4066 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 30, 2009 PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF in the United States. They won and the sacred trust of the people as they AIG they broke the bank. And now they are face issues disturbing the Nation. May The SPEAKER pro tempore. The being paid every penny they are owed, all decisions serve the common resolve Chair recognizes the gentleman from down to the last penny. How can that of the people and give You the glory California (Mr. SHERMAN) for 5 min- be done when AIG is bust? Simple, tax- both now and forever. Amen. utes. payer money, $170 billion. Some of it, f Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, this we put it into AIG, and tens of billions THE JOURNAL country is being treated to Kabuki the- of dollars go to overseas banks within The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ater in three acts. In the first act the minutes. Chair has examined the Journal of the American people are told, ‘‘We feel How does that compare to the credi- last day’s proceedings and announces your anger. We share your anger. You tors of General Motors? General Mo- tors owes its bondholders. It owes its to the House her approval thereof. have a right to be angry at AIG and all Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- retirees, and General Motors owes its the others on Wall Street that are nal stands approved. bailed out.’’ workers. What is happening to what is But in the second act, Wall Street owed by General Motors under these f nitpicks to death any practical pro- contracts? Those contracts are being PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE posal that would be adverse to the in- shrunk. The bondholders are going to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the terests of Wall Street. have to take about a third of what they gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. And then in the third act, we transfer are entitled to in cash. The retirees are HALVORSON) come forward and lead the a trillion dollars to Wall Street on very going to get about half of what they House in the Pledge of Allegiance. favorable terms. That is to say, terms are entitled to in cash, and the UAW Mrs. HALVORSON led the Pledge of that are unfavorable to the taxpayer, has already made substantial changes Allegiance as follows: terms very favorable to Wall Street. in their union contract. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Now the first act is one in which So with General Motors, there is ei- United States of America, and to the Repub- those of us who are angry are told that ther a bankruptcy, and I hope we avoid lic for which it stands, one nation under God, we are blinded by our anger and there- a formal bankruptcy, or there is, in ef- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. fore should not participate in the deci- fect, an informal bankruptcy. What is a f sion-making. Rather, that should be bankruptcy? It is a reorganization TOUGH CHOICES MUST BE MADE left to those who are blinded by their process in which the company goes for- FOR AUTO INDUSTRY’S SURVIVAL gullibility for Wall Street’s demands ward but its creditors have to take a (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was and entreaties. We are told that those haircut. They have to lose money. And given permission to address the House of us who are angry are stupid peasants all of the creditors of General Motors with pitchforks and torches.

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