Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the volunteers who served Thanksgiving dinner to homeless veterans on the USS New Jersey this past November.

These patriotic South Jersey citizens expressed their appreciation and gratitude those who have selflessly served in our armed services by taking time on Thanksgiving Day to give back to serve dinner to homeless veterans.

For that reason Mister Speaker, it is my honor to submit the names of the volunteers for the Congressional Record. Dominick M. Carella, Bob Catando, Amber Louise Clark, Chenay Baxter Clark, Cadet Sophie-Leigh Clark, Malik Cobb Jr., Robert Day, Victoria Day, Jacqueline Dorosky, John Dorosky, Alexis Dowgin, Kyle Dowgin, Min Elders, Chris Fuller, Christopher Jonathan Gruberg, Gerard Harkins, Joseph Hawes, Matthew Hawes, the Hegarty family, Justin Henderson, James Dallas Hoefle, Deborah Johnson, Kelly Johnson, Ginelle Joseph, Jordan Kelley, Austin Kelley, Julie Keys, Bernadette N. Kirkland, Elijah Kirkland, Jan Maurice Kirkland, Keith Kirkland, Nzinga Kirkland, Justin Casey Lamanna, Chloe Madison, Carole Magowan, Steven Magowan, Chase Miller, Joanne Mooney, Martin Mooney, Kayla Phillips, Madison Phillips, Angelo D. Pizzullo Jr., Pamela Pratt, Alyssa Rivers, Alison Rivers, Luis Daniel Marchena Del Rosario, Joseph Rubino, Amanda Saini, Elizabeth Saini, Kenneth Aaron Smith, Sam Snyder, Susan Stefencavage, Donna Stein, Robert Stein, Beth T. Suckiel, Tatiana Swain, Kaoir Takasu, Ty Takasu, Carson Wallace, Charles Wallace III, Kay Walcott-Henderson, and Johanne Wells.

Mr. Speaker, these volunteers exemplify the patriotic character of the citizens of South Jersey. As elected officials it is our duty to match their patriotism--by enacting laws that provide mental health support and other benefits to veterans, so that those who risk their lives on our behalf never become homeless.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Renee Patron for being nominated for Leukemia Woman of the Year, an award given by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Ms. Patron earned her bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in marketing from Eastern University in St. Davids, PA. During her time at college, a friend of hers named Dina Innella suffered from leukemia. Selflessly, Ms. Patron cared for Ms. Innella during her time of need. While she didn't expect any recognition for her kindness, another friend nominated her through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to recognize her dedication.

After college, Ms. Patron went on to become a successful small business owner, opening Events by Renee. She is the programming and event co-chair for the Public Relations Society of America, in addition to being a founding member of a Philadelphia women's networking group called Femmefessionals. In her free time, she volunteers with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Philadelphia chapter and with the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Patron is a role model for her kindness and sacrifice. I join all of South Jersey in thanking Ms. Patron for her dedication and wish her best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in appreciation.

Next week, I am leaving the Congress to pursue the chance to build a career in the private sector. I wanted to take a few minutes this morning to offer appreciation and thanksgiving for a lot of people who have helped make this wonderful experience possible.

I start with, as in all things in my life, my wife, Camille, and my daughters, Jacquelyn and Josie, without whom nothing good would be possible and through whom all good things are.

I look forward to many, many more happy years, God willing, with them and thank them for their support and sacrifice.

I thank my staff. Over all of these years, these men and women are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated, sometimes by their employer. These are true public servants. They are inspirations, and I assure you that I have learned much more from them than I have taught to them.

I want to single out, in particular, in the present staff, our chief of staff, Fran Tagmire; our general counsel, Amanda Caruso; and our legislative director, J.Z. Golden, for their excellence, and for many, many others over many, many years.

I want to thank my colleagues. I thank Speaker Boehner for his friendship and leadership.

I especially thank the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives--in my view the best Speaker of the House of Representatives--Nancy Pelosi, who has taught me strength and principle and doggedness and focus, and whose inspiration will guide me, my daughters, and others' sons and daughters for many years to come. I thank her profoundly for her influence and service.

I thank all of my colleagues. I want to come back to that in a minute.

I most especially thank the people of the First Congressional District of the State of New Jersey, who have been the best employer one could possibly have for these last 24 years. And, yes, I would include the people who stop us in the supermarket and complain about a vote that we have cast or wonder why we haven't solved a problem. There are a few of them.

There are many, many more whose words of encouragement have lifted us up for all these years, and I assure you that we appreciate you, and we are staying in our community and looking forward to new ways that we can serve our friends and our neighbors.

I especially, though, do want to come back to the men and women with whom I have had the privilege of serving for all these years. We have done a lot of things that are good together. Some of us have not always agreed on what is good together, but we passed the Affordable Care Act, which I believe will withstand the test of time and will stand together with Medicare and Social Security as pillars of middle class prosperity and American opportunity.

We have opened the door for college students with the direct student loan program that has helped many, many millions of students get an education.

We have improved our environment. In our district at home, there are construction workers building transportation projects today because of our work. There are police and firefighters and teachers on the job because of our cooperation.

There are two veterans health clinics. We can simply not say thank you with our words to our veterans, but by our deeds. And I must say this morning that I especially remember young men and women on duty around the world serving our country, and I express my deepest appreciation to them.

But to my colleagues, I would say this, that I have had 150,000 constituents over the years come to our office with various issues and problems, and they are certainly an inspiration. But so, too, ladies and gentlemen, are you, my colleagues.

The House is a rambunctious and energetic place. I suspect we will see some of that rambunctiousness even later today. We have seen a little bit this morning. People should not confuse debate with division. Healthy, passionate debate is the elixir of American democracy. It is the fuel that makes the country better. And for those who look at the House and say, well, all they ever do is argue with each other, I would certainly hope so. I would certainly hope we would bring to this Chamber deeply held beliefs, deeply held convictions, and express them in the course of debate.

Of course, there is time for compromise, and there is always a season to get the job done; but may this place never lose the strong convictions of people, right and left, Republican and Democrat, north, south, east, and west, because that is what makes democracy go.

I would also say this, that we, in this Chamber, should never confuse a difference of opinion with a difference of intention. I have served here for nearly 24 years, and I can safely say I have never met a fellow Member who does not love this country, who was not here for the purpose of improving this country as he or she sees that improvement. I have certainly disagreed with the definition of ``improvement,'' but I have never questioned the motivation or motive of any of the men and women with whom I have had the privilege of serving.

So my admonition would be: Keep the energy flowing. Those who misunderstand debate, let them misunderstand it. Keep the passionate beliefs that occupy this place going. And when we do, I believe with great confidence that the institution will continue to lead the way to a country that is more prosperous, more safe, more free, and more generous than any nation in the history of the face of the Earth.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve. I thank each of you who has given me this privilege.

Mr. Speaker, last night, on rollcall Nos. 32 and 33 for H.R. 1791 and H.R. 357, I am not recorded because I was absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on both.

Today, on rollcall Nos. 34 and 35 for the Rule on H.R. 3590 and H. Res. 470, I am not recorded because I was absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on both.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Student Leaders' Von Nieda Park Task Force for their efforts in continuing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy by coordinating their 5th annual MLK Day of Community Organizing.

These South Jersey students choose to celebrate the life of Dr. King not simply through remembrance, but by following in his footsteps. These leaders honor the memory of Dr King engaging their fellow youth in community

organizing. Thanks to their hard work, the Student Leaders' Von Nieda Park Task Force has transformed Von Nieda Park into a cleaner, safer, more beautiful park through community organizing, and regular meetings with public officials.

For this reason, it is my honor to submit the names of the student leaders to the Congressional Record: Jenaya Aide, Jessica Aldana, Alejandro Bernal, Eloisa Colon, Karelys Cruz-Bermudez, Samantha Fontanez, Elino Javier, Sergio Martinez, Ashley Melendez, Janeliz Muniz, Jose Reyes, Rodrigo Reyes, Alex Rosario, Dean Rosario, Lea Rosario, Ziani Sanchez, and Itzel Tapia.

Mr. Speaker, these students exemplify the commitment to community and justice championed by Dr. King. I join all of South Jersey in honoring their dedication to the memory of one of our country's greatest leaders.

Mr. Speaker, on Rollcall #25 for H.R. 3008, I am not recorded because I was absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

I thank my friend from New Jersey for his tireless leadership on this very important cause. It is inspirational.

Mr. Speaker, since the Affordable Care Act became law, 9 million Americans have health insurance who did not have it before--9 million people. Now, not surprisingly, there have been problems in the implementation of the law. Many customer service problems need to be addressed, and we should come together in good faith and make sure they get addressed. This bill takes us in the opposite direction. It says that people who could be working on solving the very real and important problems of customers who are trying to enroll in health insurance will have to write a report once a week instead of once a month.

If you go to get your car fixed and if there is a long line of people ahead of you and if you are going to be late to get back to work and if you find out the reason the line takes so long is that the person at the counter explains the history of the carburetor to every person who comes to pick up his car instead of waiting on the people who are in line, requiring a report a week instead of a report a month just doesn't make any sense.

There is another reason to oppose this bill, though, that is even more important than that. Today, 10,000 Americans will go home and tell their children or their loved ones that they have run out of income because their unemployment benefits have expired. This week, 72,000 Americans will have that happen to them. There is a bill in this House, on this floor, that could be taken up this morning and voted on to provide relief to our neighbors and family members who are in that position. This majority leadership has ignored that legislation.

This is a breathtaking misplacement of priorities. We can spend an hour of the House's time on harassing Health and Human Services into filing one report every week instead of one report every month, but we can't take 5 minutes and debate on a bill that will restore a measure of decency and income to 72,000 Americans a week. Many of these Americans are over 50 years old. For every one job that is advertised there are three people looking for that job. The callous indifference of the House majority leadership to these people is just wrong--and so is this bill.

We should reject this bill and, instead, proceed with a vote on aid to America's long-term unemployed.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Haviland Avenue Grade School.

In 1913, the town of Audubon, NJ purchased land for Public School #3. Beginning as a four room school house, it expanded in 1926 to accommodate the growing population in the surrounding area. Due to a lack of funds and support, the school began to show its age in the 1970s and was in danger of closing. More than 300 engaged citizens signed a petition asking the school board to keep the school open. In 1979, the school board allocated funds for an extensive renovation, allowing the Haviland Avenue School to continue serving students. During its 100 year existence, Haviland Avenue School has served as the starting point for numerous young men and women who have become doctors, teachers, professional athletes, elected officials and even Purple Heart recipients.

Mr. Speaker, this beautiful school has fostered learning and community values for generations of New Jerseyans. On the centennial of the founding of this school, I join all of South Jersey in wishing students, staff, and alumni at Haviland Avenue Grade School another hundred years of happiness and prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the winners of the Historical Society of Winslow Township's Veterans Day 2013 Student Essay Contest.

These nine students, attending Winslow Township Middle School and Winslow Township High School, wrote essays answering the question ``How would you thank a soldier for his/her service?'' The moving prose of these young men and women is a testament to the patriotic spirit of the citizens of South Jersey. Moreover, these students' awareness of the sacrifices of our military and their families is precocious and praiseworthy.

For that reason, Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to submit the names of the winners to the Congressional Record. From the 7th grade class: Mary-Elizabeth Jimoh, 1st Place; Jordan Frazier, 2nd Place; Morgan Chambliss, 3rd Place. From the 8th grade class: Kelli O'Neill, 1st Place; Deanna Paul, 2nd Place; Aliyah Jones, 3rd Place. From Winslow Township High School: senior Rebecca Hall, 1st Place; sophomore Joshua Hansen, 2nd Place; senior Amanda Wellik, 3rd Place.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate these young men and women on having their essays selected by the Historical Society of Winslow Township. These students have bright futures ahead of them. It is my sincere hope that they will carry this abiding respect for the military and service with them as they continue to learn and grow.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 1, I was unavoidably detained and had I been present, I would have been recorded as ``present.''

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for all their hard work on this bill.

In the spring of 2011, a very brave band of Americans executed a mission that brought the country to its feet in ending the reign of terror of Osama bin Laden. Their heroism on that night is something that makes us proud even today. That success, though, was rooted in many things that happened many years before that. There were scientists and researchers that made those night vision goggles that made the raid possible. There were engineers and technicians that made the Stealth helicopters so successful; and, most importantly, I think, there were men and women in our intelligence community who helped sift through all the haystacks to find the needles necessary to make the operation happen.

The quiet, methodical work that protects our country is the essence of this bill. It is research and development. It is readiness. It is all the things that are necessary to act, and act decisively in the decisive moments in history. It is important that all Members support this bill because those who raise their right hands and swear allegiance to the country are worthy of this support. I am pleased both Republicans and Democrats will support this bill today. I am happy to join that support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Margaret ``Peggy'' McMahon for her years as a nurse and as an advocate for those with whom she worked.

For over forty-six years, Ms. McMahon has dedicated her life to nursing. In 1965, she joined the Army Student Nurse program while attending the Philadelphia General Hospital School of Nursing. Three years later, Ms. McMahon was dispatched to Vietnam as an emergency and trauma nurse in the 85th Evacuation Unit in Qui Nhon and the 95th Evacuation Hospital in DeNang. While in Vietnam, Ms. McMahon was a fearless first-responder, providing emergency care to injured soldiers before they could see a doctor.

After her tour in Vietnam, Ms. McMahon returned to Williamstown, NJ to further her education. She received a bachelor's degree and master's degree, a Family Nurse Practitioner's certificate, and she also served as president of the Emergency Nurses Association. Since then, she has worked adamantly to make sure her fellow emergency nurses are recognized for their service and sacrifice. Ms. McMahon became an influential voice in the efforts to create the Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, DC. This past Veterans Day, Ms. McMahon and other wartime nurses were honored at the Memorial.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. McMahon's selflessness should be an example to all. I join all of South Jersey in thanking Ms. McMahon for her years of service to her country and community.

I thank my friend for yielding.

With a sense of real mixed emotions, I join this discussion tonight, certainly with gratitude and pride for Barry's 33 years of service but also for a real sense of regret that he will not be a part of our everyday lives and work the way he has been for all these years.

The House is very often a very chaotic and noisy place. The bell rings, and hundreds of people descend upon the floor. They all have their demands. They all have their ideas. They all have their needs. In that sea of chaos, you look for a person who stands tall and strong and is unflappable no matter what. Barry, for all of us, for all those years, you have been one of those people.

Nothing flusters Barry Sullivan. There is no problem too great. There is no controversy too bitter. He is always the same optimistic, friendly, honest, cheerful, strong person, no matter what. And your strength has been an inspiration to all of us.

When you know from whence Barry comes, his strength is easy to understand. I did not have the privilege of sharing the heritage that he has from Boston, but I know his family very, very well. I know that his beloved father-in-law, former Representative Bill Hughes, Ambassador Bill Hughes, served here. Perhaps his greatest gift was Barbara. I think that is probably the reason Barry stayed in Washington, because he met her, and they started a beautiful life together. They have three wonderful sons that they have educated and raised, and I have the privilege of working with his son Brendan, who is here with us tonight, representing the people of our First Congressional District of New Jersey.

So, Barry, nothing you do surprises us because of your inner strength and your qualities and your optimism.

The one thing about Barry that did surprise me, however, was that he did not start growing his beard in the middle of the summer and let it go until the end of the World Series, like his beloved Red Sox. There was some discussion that he might do that.

But I do admire the fact that he was nice to everyone--even to the Yankees fans, as Mr. Serrano just said. He showed real equanimity.

Barry, on behalf of our country, our party, my constituents, and my family, we thank you for your strength and your goodness and your inspiration. We know we will see you many times in the future. We wish you Godspeed. Congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Professor Robert Williams for his immense contributions to the Rutgers Law Journal and to Rutgers School of Law--Camden.

Twenty-five years ago, state Constitutions were a relatively obscure area of legal scholarship. However, Professor Williams understood that these state Constitutions have a real impact on people's lives, sometimes more so than the Federal Constitution. Along with Professor G. Alan Tarr, he coined the term ``comparative subnational constitutional law'' for this field of study, and published the first State Constitutional Law issue for the Rutgers Law Journal.

Since this time, Professor Williams's scholarship has brought great acclaim to his discipline, and to Rutgers-Camden. The Journal has included an annual State Constitutional Law issue for the past twenty- five years, and Professor Williams has been instrumental in every one. He also serves as the associate director of the Center for State Constitutional Studies. And despite his extensive academic responsibilities, Professor Williams still serves as counsel in public interest cases, and has filed several notable Amicus briefs in recent years.

Mr. Speaker, the contributions of Professor Williams to the legal community should not go unrecognized. I join all of Rutgers Law--Camden and South Jersey in expressing our gratitude for Professor Williams as he celebrates a milestone in his commitment to the rule of law.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for the time.

In March of 2010, the President signed the Affordable Care Act. In that law, there was a revision that said on January 1 of 2014 if insurance plans did not have important consumer protections, like getting rid of lifetime policy limits and annual limits, that they couldn't be sold anymore.

For over 3\1/2\ years, the insurance industry had noticed that the day was coming when they could not sell these plans anymore. They chose to wait until the last couple of weeks to send out notices to millions of Americans saying they couldn't renew their plans next year. This is unfair to those Americans, and it is a problem that ought to be fixed.

The President has stepped forward with a plan to address this to help those Americans. I support what he is doing. The House Democrats will have an opportunity to put on the floor some votes that will further improve that situation as this debate goes on.

This problem of people having their policies canceled is unwarranted and unwelcome, and we should work together to fix it. The underlying bill here does not fix the problem; it creates a problem.

It is very important to understand what the underlying bill does. It says that insurance plans that discriminate against you because you are a woman or because you had skin cancer, or insurance plans that say that in the middle of your chemotherapy you can run out of coverage, or insurance plans that say that after you paid your premiums for months or even years the insurance company can cancel you because you got sick, those plans can continue to be sold to everyone--to everyone.

The problem that we are trying to address is people that have such plans and want to keep them be given the opportunity to keep them. That is what

the President's decision does, which is why we support it.

The underlying bill says that these plans can be opened up to anybody who wants to buy this. That sounds kind of fair at first glance. If someone wants to buy that kind of plan, shouldn't they be able to?

Well, ladies and gentlemen of the House, here is the question: If someone buys a plan that pulls the plug on their chemotherapy in the middle and they keep getting care, who pays for it? The taxpayers do and the other premium payers do. That is who pays for it.

This plan that is before the House today, this Republican bill, is a guarantee of rate shock for the American people because here is what will happen.

If anyone who wants to can buy one of these cars without an airbag or cars without seatbelts--and that is what these plans are--then you will find that the new marketplaces don't have enough people in them. When they don't have enough people in them, the rates will rise. When the rates spike for people in the marketplaces, they will spike for people who get employer-sponsored health care because the possibility of the marketplaces is already reducing the premium increases that employers are seeing.

I thank the gentleman.

So the employer rates, which have risen at the slowest rates in the last 5 or 6 years, would once again be subject to the kind of spikes that happen here.

Look, I think there is bipartisan agreement in this Chamber this morning that if someone has gotten a cancelation notice, we want to help that person keep their plan if they choose to keep it. We agree with that, the President agrees with that. That is what he set out to do.

What we do not want, and what this bill does, is to guarantee rate shock, guarantee a premium spike for Americans, whether they are in these plans that we are talking about today, whether they are in the new marketplaces, or whether they receive insurance through their employer. We need additional protections where insurance commissioners around this country can step forward and investigate arbitrary and unfair practices, where they can protect consumers, and House Democrats are going to put forward such an opportunity to vote on that at the conclusion of this debate.

Let's not in the guise of solving one problem magnify another one. We should oppose this rule and oppose the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am opposed to the bill.

Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues, we have listened to the many stories told by people this morning with great empathy about people

who got a cancelation notice and want to keep the policy that they have.

The issue before the House is whether we want to solve the problem or create another problem. That is the issue. If we want to work together, as we should, to solve the problem of Americans receiving cancelation notices and not being able to keep policies that they have, it requires us to do three things.

First, we have to legally authorize insurance companies to offer these policies on into the future. The Democratic plan which I have proposed does that and, frankly, so does Mr. Upton's bill.

The second thing that we have to do, though, is make sure that the insurance companies offer the plans for sale. It really does you no good at all if you have the right to buy a plan that the insurance company refuses to sell.

Mr. Upton's bill is mute on that point. It might be called the ``Insurance Companies Bill of Rights'' because they have the right to do or not do anything they choose, but the people that we all say that we want to protect really have no rights at all. This is an important distinguishing point in the plan that I am offering now, and I would urge everyone to support.

We have drawn from language offered by my friend from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) which requires State insurance commissioners around this country to be vigilant protectors of consumers, rather than corporate apologists for insurance companies.

Our plan says that if someone's cancelation was arbitrary and thoughtless and unfair, the insurance commissioner must act and protect the people that we heard read in those letters today.

Our plan says that if rate increases are discriminatory, if you got a rate increase because you are a woman who is pregnant, or you got a rate increase because you had skin cancer, or breast cancer, or diabetes, that the insurance commissioner must act and protect the consumer against that indignity.

It does you no good that this bill is called the ``Keep Your Insurance If You Want To Bill.'' It should be called the ``Keep Your Insurance If You Want To And The Insurance Company Allows You To Bill.'' We are correcting that wrong and remedying that wrong with our plan.

Thirdly, it doesn't do any good to give people the chance to renew their plans if that renewal results in a huge premium increase for everyone else in the country. That is what the underlying bill does.

The underlying bill says that these plans, which I would really equate to selling an automobile with no airbags and no seatbelts--now, our plan says, look, if you want to keep driving a car with no airbags and no seatbelts, you can keep driving, but people can't sell a car with no airbags and no seatbelts to a new consumer, which is what the underlying bill permits.

Now, when that happens, here is what is going to happen. People in the new State marketplaces are going to see a huge increase in their premiums. People who get covered at work are going to see a huge increase in their premiums. It is going to spill over to Medigap policies for seniors and people on Medicare.

The bill really should be called the ``Guaranteed Premium Increase Act of 2013'' because that is what it is.

Our bill corrects that by saying, let's help the people we say we want to try to help, people who like their plan and want to keep it, not everyone that the insurance company could dupe or lure into buying a car with no airbag and no seatbelts.

Finally, working together means not forgetting about some other people who write letters we haven't heard much about today, the family that Mr. Doyle talked about, whose daughter has cancer, who has an insurance policy, but has to have a beef and beer or a golf tournament to raise money to pay their bills. I want to help that person and not repeal the Affordable Care Act.

How about the woman who had breast cancer 10 years ago and can now be told, we are sorry, you can't buy an insurance policy. You have got to pay more if you do. I want to help her by banning discrimination based on preexisting conditions.

If we really want to work together, let's adopt this plan. Let's really help the people we say we are trying to help, and not the insurance industry of the United States of America.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Point of Order

I do, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is my friend, the chairman's objection is based on the principle of germaneness. The underlying bill, by its very title, purports to protect Americans who have received a cancelation notice for a policy that they want to keep.

Now, there is a disagreement here over how to protect those Americans. The underlying bill does not have requirements that State insurance commissioners act to protect those individuals. Our plan does. Our plan does.

This is a disagreement over the means to protect American consumers. The underlying bill says we will trust the insurance industry. Our bill says, no, we will enforce the insurance laws.

I would respectfully submit this does not rise to a difference in germaneness. This is a difference of opinion. The bill on the floor purports to protect the Americans that I talked about. We think it doesn't. Our plan does protect those Americans in a different way.

The underlying subject matter of this bill is how do you protect Americans who wish to keep the insurance plan that they have. We believe we have a more effective way of doing that. The majority disagrees. The House deserves a vote on that. No technicality, no procedural nicety should deny us the chance to take a vote on whose plan is right. We should proceed with this vote.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am opposed to the bill.

We come here as stewards of a very sacred trust--to look after the people that are the backbone of this country. We are having this debate this afternoon because we have all heard from men and women across this country who are very upset that an insurance policy that they want to keep has been canceled.

These constituents are very upset and very troubled, and we are brought here to work together to figure out a solution to that problem.

What is the solution?

First of all, they ought to have the ability to have their insurance companies offer them the policies for sale. Frankly, the underlying bill does that, and so does the plan that I am presenting.

Secondly, there ought to be some way that the insurance companies are given some incentive at the very at least, direction, to sell the policy. It doesn't do you a whole lot of good to have the right to buy a policy that the insurance company is not selling, and this plan has some measures which make it more likely that insurance companies would do that.

Thirdly, to solve that person's problem, we have to make sure that in solving his problem we are not creating another one; that by permitting these policies to be sold for another year, which this does, that we are not spiking the premiums of people in the exchange marketplaces or of people who get their insurance through work.

I have heard a number of Members say that they want a chance for us to work together to solve this problem. Here is that chance because this plan does the three things that I just talked about, but this plan, I think, is different than the underlying bill because this is not a step to unravel the Affordable Care Act; it is a step to improve it--which is the fundamental question, and there are some other people whose stories ought to be told here this afternoon, too.

There is a family this weekend that is having a social to raise money to pay the medical bills for their son or daughter who has cancer, because the insurance policy they thought they had stopped paying their son's or daughter's bills. Their voice should be heard. If you repeal the Affordable Care Act, their voice is silenced.

There are women in this country who go to try to start a business. They try to buy an insurance policy, and they are told, We won't sell you one because you had children or you are a female or you had breast cancer 10 years ago. If you repeal the Affordable Care Act, her voice is silenced.

Mr. Speaker, there are sons and daughters of Americans who are 22, 23 years old who didn't have health insurance before because they couldn't get that first full-time job who now have health insurance because they are on their moms' or dads' policies. If you repeal the Affordable Care Act, their voices will be silenced.

There are senior citizens who used to run out of drug coverage, prescription coverage, around Labor Day because the Medicare doughnut hole popped up. Because of the Affordable Care Act, they are now able to buy their prescriptions at an affordable price and are now able to pay their prescription bills until the end of the year. If you repeal the Affordable Care Act, their voices are silenced.

We come here this afternoon to solve the problem of Americans who want to keep their coverage but who have had it canceled. We want to work together to solve that problem. That is what this plan does.

When we look at women being turned away because of preexisting conditions, we will not be silenced. When we look at 22-year-olds who will lose their coverage if you repeal the Affordable Care Act, we will not be silenced. When you look at seniors who will lose the ability to pay their prescription drugs if you repeal the ACA, we will not be silenced.

We are here to solve problems, not to create them. If you want to work together in a way that improves this law, we are your able and willing partner, but if the intention is to unravel this protection for the American people, we will stand, we will speak, we will fight, and we will oppose every such effort.

Vote ``yes'' for this motion and ``no'' on the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.