E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 162 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 No. 144 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was could be denied coverage due to a pre- necessary fixes to the law. It is time, called to order by the Speaker pro tem- existing condition; the so-called once and for all, for Congress to accept pore (Mr. WEBSTER of Florida). ‘‘doughnut hole,’’ or gap in Medicare the ACA as the law of the land and f part D coverage, was forcing many sen- begin working to improve the law, not iors to choose between buying food to repeal it. DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO put on the table or livesaving prescrip- TEMPORE Now, I understand there are chal- tion pills; women were charged more lenges as the law continues to take The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- than men for coverage simply for being deeper roots throughout the healthcare fore the House the following commu- women; insurance companies could set industry. As they prepared for ACA, annual or lifetime dollar caps on bene- nication from the Speaker: some insurance companies set prices fits, sticking American families with WASHINGTON, DC, too low, and they are now adjusting the remainder of the bill. September 22, 2016. them in response; but I want to remind Thankfully, in the 6 years since the I hereby appoint the Honorable DANIEL everyone that the insurance market- WEBSTER to act as Speaker pro tempore on ACA was enacted, 20 million Americans place was dynamic before the ACA and this day. have insurance for the first time in PAUL D. RYAN, their lives, and the uninsured rate is will continue to be dynamic. Speaker of the House of Representatives. the lowest it has been in American his- The ACA calls for a more innovative f tory, currently at 8.6 percent. The ACA approach to health care, and many in- surance companies have adapted so MORNING-HOUR DEBATE has helped 105 million Americans, in- cluding 39.5 million women and nearly that they can focus on coordinated The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- 28 million children, by preventing care and care management, for exam- ant to the order of the House of Janu- healthcare plans from capping benefits. ple. When insurance companies were ary 5, 2016, the Chair will now recog- We have also seen that the market- still able to discriminate based on pre- nize Members from lists submitted by place is working better in States where existing conditions, they excluded or the majority and minority leaders for elected officials collaborated to imple- undervalued expensive patients—the morning-hour debate. ment the ACA rather than trying to same people who had the most The Chair will alternate recognition undermine it. In States that chose to healthcare needs. Now that actual data between the parties, with each party expand Medicaid, insurance rates are is available, the market is undergoing limited to 1 hour and each Member an estimated 7 percent lower. In con- a natural correction to bring prices in other than the majority and minority trast, Governors and legislatures in 19 line with costs. leaders and the minority whip limited States have blocked Medicaid expan- It is important to note that shopping to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- sion, even as millions of their lowest on the marketplace has proven to help bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. income residents go without insurance all consumers find the best price for f coverage. Unfortunately, over the past few coverage. According to the Department ACA IS WORKING years, it has been popular around here of Health and Human Services, almost The SPEAKER pro tempore. The to say that the ACA is a failure, that it half of returning healthcare.gov con- Chair recognizes the gentleman from has socialized medicine, it is driving sumers switched plans and saved an av- erage of $42 per month. Illinois (Mr. QUIGLEY) for 5 minutes. down the quality of American health Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise care, and that we need to ‘‘repeal and I understand that challenges with the today and ask you to consider where replace’’ it because ObamaCare isn’t ACA remain. That is why HHS is tak- we were before the Affordable Care Act: working. This mindset is all wrong be- ing steps to address these problems. premiums were rising three times fast- cause, I am happy to report, the ACA is Congress has a duty to look for policy er than wages, eating up much more of working. However, faster progress has solutions that improve everyone’s ac- Americans’ hard-earned paychecks; been prevented due to obstruction and cess to the best care available and to millions more families were drowning politics. make that care affordable. There are in medical debt; Americans had to pay Since being signed into law in 2010, real ways that Congress can provide for critical preventive services like flu my colleagues across the aisle have stability to the healthcare market- shots, yearly checkups, and birth con- voted to repeal all or parts of the ACA place, and I urge my colleagues to trol; many young 20-somethings went over 60 times. This has prevented fund- bring some of these solutions to the without insurance; your suffering child ing needed for implementation and floor. 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. H5803 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:04 Sep 23, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A22SE7.000 H22SEPT1 emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with HOUSE H5804 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 22, 2016 I was proud to vote for the ACA, and In July, it was advanced through our get me, because I couldn’t drive myself when the majority is ready to get seri- committee 53–0, and then on the House home, for the permanent art work on ous, I will be proud to vote for com- floor by a 422–2 vote. This landmark my arms that wouldn’t ever be hung on monsense improvements and reforms vote marks the most significant reform fridge, for always playing too close to to the law. The American public have to our Nation’s mental health pro- the ledge. Because I couldn’t pass math, but I could spoken, and they will not return to the grams in decades, and I was proud to calculate just how many pills it took days before healthcare reform. It is shepherd this important piece of legis- me to get sick without passing out so I time for Congress to listen to the lation and now work with the Senate didn’t have to go to school the next American people. to get it done. day. f Suicide prevention is deeply personal 42. to me. I don’t talk about it often, but I’m sorry. SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS my uncle, my daughter’s college room- Even once they were done with me, I felt like MONTH mate, and my son’s dear girlfriend’s I owed them an apology. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The sister all committed suicide. Those Like they could hit me in the face, and I Chair recognizes the gentleman from losses have left an indelible impression would apologize for standing in the way of their hand. Michigan (Mr. UPTON) for 5 minutes. on my life. There were times I didn’t believe I would be Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise Suicide is not an issue that can lin- today to acknowledge the fact that here today. ger in the shadows. We have got to con- But look at me now, look where I stand, September is Suicide Prevention front it and the underlying issues be- Never did I realize that my own two hands Awareness Month. This gives all of us a hind it together. had to the power to control my life. or chance to come together to promote I include in the RECORD Kait’s mes- end it. awareness about the issue of suicide sage of hope and inspiration. It can My own principal, looked at me and said prevention and how we can all help also be found on my Web site, there was nothing he could do, unless I others talk about suicide. For many upton.house.gov. was seriously hurt. families in communities across the Like to actually be noticed, I’d have to be MY (SURVIVAL) STORY country, loved ones are gone far too dead in the dirt. soon because of suicide. I tried to start writing my story, but all that Because he thought that even if I walked became of it was complicated compari- away crying, as long as I was still alive Suicidal thoughts and action cer- sons and meaningless metaphors. and walking, it wasn’t his problem. tainly know no bounds. They affect I thought that’s just what I had do, to con- His position of power told him he could de- people of all ages, races, sexes, and re- nect with people. cide when I was in pain, but he wasn’t ligions. The statistics are startling. Tell some confusing story about a lion and a the one who had to stand in the rain. Suicide has become the third leading lamb, or a turtle and a hare with some Look in my eyes, look at my arms, read my cause of death among young people and hidden cliche reworded moral of a poetry, can you still see me? is the 10th leading cause of death here story, explaining how the inferior char- I lost myself halfway between my current in the U.S.