S12876 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2009 I recently heard from Brad and Jo- care reform, let us keep in mind the way try to embarrass or denigrate me anne in Goodwin, SD. Brad is a cancer American families who are struggling by virtue of the fact that—in fact, try- survivor and Joanne is a heart attack to make ends meet in the face of job ing to embarrass me. What they should survivor. They had health insurance loss and rising health care costs. When understand is that any events I had coverage at the time of their illnesses we think of them, the urgency of scheduled for this weekend have been but still carry medical debt. After the health care reform is clear. canceled. Events I had last weekend economy forced the plant Joanne I suggest the absence of a quorum. had been canceled—four or five of worked for to close in October 2008, she The PRESIDING OFFICER. The them. To say the least, I would never, fell back on the health insurance cov- clerk will call the roll. ever intentionally come to the floor erage offered by Brad’s employer. She The legislative clerk proceeded to and try to talk to somebody about hav- relies on medication to manage her call the roll. ing had a fundraiser and that is why heart health and Brad requires regular Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- they are trying to get out of here. checkups to make sure he stays cancer- imous consent that the order for the The reason I laid out to the Senate free. In March of this year, the family quorum call be rescinded. what I thought was a reasonable sched- hit hard times again when Brad’s em- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ule is because, procedurally, we are ployer downsized and he was laid off. objection, it is so ordered. where we are. The rules of the Senate Today, Brad and Joanne are still un- f are such that once cloture is invoked, able to find work and their unemploy- that is what you stay with. I thought it TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND ment benefits are set to run out at the would be appropriate, because we have URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RE- end of the year. Even if they could find worked pretty hard here, to have a day LATED AGENCIES APPROPRIA- an insurance policy that approved or two off. Anything that was reason- TIONS ACT, 2010—CONFERENCE them for coverage despite their pre-ex- able, I would be happy to deal with ev- REPORT isting conditions, the price of health eryone. But there was no result from insurance in the individual market is Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to this. Everything that can be done to far beyond their reach. So Joanne pays proceed to the conference report to ac- stall and to divert attention from this entirely out-of-pocket for her pricey company H.R. 3288, and I ask for the bill is being done. And that is too bad, heart medication and Brad can’t afford yeas and nays. because it is important legislation. to visit his doctor as often as he The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a Today, 14,000 Americans will lose should. They do not know what they sufficient second? their health insurance. Between now will do in the event they suffer another There appears to be. and 3:30, a number of people will die as medical emergency or if their unem- The Republican leader is recognized. a result of having no health insurance. ployment benefits run out before they Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I So we are engaged in some important are able to secure a new job. ask unanimous consent that I be al- stuff; as pundits have said, some of the Joanne and Brad’s story illustrates lowed to proceed for a moment here most important legislation that has the insecurity of many American fami- prior to the vote. ever been in this body. So I am going to proceed to follow lies who are one job loss away from los- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without the rules of the Senate, and I am sorry ing access to the health care they need. objection, it is so ordered. we haven’t been able to work with the While South Dakota has been fortunate Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Republicans in a constructive fashion not to have as high of unemployment say to my good friend the majority on this health care bill, but it is obvi- rate as other parts of the country, the leader, we have been anxious to have ous we haven’t. economic crisis has put more and more health care votes since Tuesday, and we have had the Crapo amendment Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I South Dakotans on unsteady financial ask unanimous consent to be able to footing. pending since Tuesday. You have said repeatedly, and I agree with you, that respond briefly. It is estimated that over 88 percent of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there the health care issue is extraordinarily South Dakotans have health insurance. objection? This too is an impressive figure com- important and that we should be deal- Without objection, it is so ordered. pared with other states, but it does not ing with it and debating it. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I paint the whole picture. Nearly 61 per- So it is my hope that somehow, reiterate to my good friend from Ne- cent of South Dakotans either pur- through our discussions both on and off vada, all I said was the Crapo amend- chase health insurance in the indi- the floor, we can get back to a process ment has been pending since Tuesday. vidual market or have coverage of facilitating the offering of amend- We would like to vote on amendments. through their employer. These families ments on both sides of the aisle at the There has been some difficulty, appar- are at risk of losing their coverage for earliest possible time and we can get ently, in coming up with a side by side reasons out of their control, such as back to the health care bill. to the Crapo amendment. I understand those experienced by Brad and Joanne. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- that. But I am perplexed that it would The Patient Protection and Afford- jority leader. take 2 days to come up with a side by able Care Act will guarantee these fam- Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am happy side. ilies access to affordable health insur- to respond through the Chair to my This, as has been stated by my good ance through life’s ups and downs. In- distinguished colleague. friend the majority leader, is the most surers will be barred from denying cov- I think it is pretty evident to every- important issue—some have said in his- erage for pre-existing conditions, dis- one here not only what has happened tory. It has been equated with a vari- criminating based on gender or medical here on the Senate floor but the state- ety of different monumentally impor- history, and will not be able to drop ments that have been made publicly tant pieces of legislation in American your coverage the moment you become and privately. And certainly I am not history. All we are asking is the oppor- ill and need costly treatment. New going to discuss any private conversa- tunity to offer amendments and get health insurance exchanges in every tions I have had, but based on Rush votes. I said it in a most respectful way state will provide a menu of quality, Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, which is on and meant it in a most respectful way. affordable health insurance plans for all the news today, they are upset at I think it is pretty hard to argue with the self-employed and those not offered Senator MCCONNELL because he is not a straight face that we are not trying coverage through their employer. Fam- opposing the health care bill enough— to proceed to amend and have votes on ilies who need assistance will be eligi- that in a reasonable process on this, this bill. That is what we desire to do. ble for tax credits to make the plan of there are no efforts being made to im- The majority leader certainly has the their choice affordable. prove this bill, only to kill this bill. right to move to the conference report. These commonsense solutions will I think the debate has come to a He has now done that—or we are about give every American one less thing to point that I have rarely seen in the to vote on doing that. All I suggested worry about when they get sick, Senate. In fact, I have never seen it. To was we would like to get back on the change or lose their job. As we con- have my friends on the other side of health care bill as soon as we can, re- tinue to work out the details of health the aisle come to the floor and in some sume the debate process on what has VerDate Nov 24 2008 03:55 Dec 11, 2009 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10DE6.043 S10DEPT1 tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with SENATE December 10, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S12877 been described on an issue of historic priations Act. I will have a lot to say Hawaii—you will note that Hawaii pops importance, and let Senators vote, about this 3,000-page omnibus appro- up all the time here—$1.6 million to which is what we do here in this body.