Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman from California for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, in my office, I have a picture of President Ronald Reagan, with a quote from January 25, 1988. It reads: After all our hard-fought victories earned through the patience and courage of every citizen, we cannot--must not--turn back. We will finish our job. How could we do anything else? We are Americans.

These thought-provoking words from President Reagan still inspire us today. We are facing a number of challenges in our country: a tough economy, fierce competition for jobs from nations like India and China, and the fighting of two wars with determined enemies who are committed to destroying the American way of life.

President Reagan's words remind us that while we face difficult challenges, we must face them together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans because we're all in this together.

His actions lived up to his own words. He rolled up his sleeves, worked with Members on both sides of the aisle, and provided leadership to move America forward.

Today, with a Republican House, a Democratic-led Senate and administration, we only need to look to President Reagan's work with Speaker Tip O'Neill on Social Security reform in 1983 to learn an important lesson. It shows us today that you can be successful in making a good faith effort to work together toward a common goal if you work together and don't lose sight of your core principles.

America is a shining city on a hill, and we will always be living President Reagan's legacy. You know, we need to honor his optimistic spirit by living and leading by his example.

I'd like to join my colleagues in honoring President Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth. He was truly one of our great Presidents, a man who understood what it meant to be an American leader.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I voted for the repeal of the health care bill yesterday because I think doing otherwise would have been supporting the status quo, and that's unacceptable. I believe there are some good ideas that were in the original health care bill that can be used and improved; but some of those ideas are in H. Res. 9 today that instruct the committees on next steps on health care.

However, there is one idea that I think we need to add to that list. I think we need to add the allowing of young folks to stay on their parents' insurance through H. Res. 9. In this tough economy, many students are unable to find jobs right out of school. As a member of the State senate, I sponsored a bill that would allow those up to age 30 to stay on their parents' plan, and I just heard from a constituent that his 23-year-old son Justin is back on his parents' insurance.

Moving forward, I'm committed to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to support reforms we agree on, like allowing young adults to stay on their parents' plan. This was included in the Republican alternative last year, and it should be included in the replacement bill this year.

I would like to thank the gentleman from Missouri for yielding time.

I rise in support of the health care repeal bill because doing otherwise would be supporting the job-killing status quo, and that's unacceptable. Whether we start over or we work to fix the current law, we must act.

Moving forward, I'm committed to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to support reforms that we agree on, such as helping people with preexisting conditions get access and allowing young adults to stay on their parents' plan.

But I'm equally committed to eliminating the job-killing portions of the current law, such as the burdensome mandate and the 1099 requirement in the legislation.

A small business owner from my district, Cathy, called us the other day and wanted to talk to me about the burdens of the 1099 provision. She called it a nightmare. It will increase her burden by 12 times.

The bottom line is we need to work to lower health care costs for families and allow a more patient-centered approach while not placing unnecessary burdens on the backs of small business and job creators.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District and the citizens of Columbus, Ohio, to honor the life and memory of Stephanie Auer. Stephanie will always be remembered for her willingness and commitment to serve others. Her positive outlook and sunny disposition brought great joy to those who knew her, and the many contributions she made as a volunteer to a number of worthy causes improved the lives of people both here and around the world.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Stephanie graduated from Manificat High School and attended The Ohio State University. Upon graduation, she was employed in the insurance industry as an underwriter and worked at Wells Fargo Insurance Services. Along the way, Stephanie touched the lives of many of us, and I am fortunate to be among those to call her friend.

Stephanie made her family and friends a priority in her life and was always there for others. She led by example and inspired others to step up to the plate. Whether it was teaching young girls, volunteering at a local clinic or sharing the Gospel in Cambodia, she demonstrated her faith and values through her actions and in the way she lived her life.

Stephanie touched the lives of so many people and she will be missed by all those who knew her. Her devotion to her family, friends and church will be long remembered.