What Americans Want

Floor Speech

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, what the American people want from their elected representatives is very much the opposite of what this body has been delivering. Americans didn't want this shutdown, but here we are. They didn't want to lose the health care plans they have, but a very large number will in the future. They wanted lower health care costs, but insurance rates continue to escalate.

In Pennsylvania, the Children's Health Insurance Program provides good-quality, low-cost, market-based health care coverage. My constituents don't want their children forced out of this program and into Medical assistance, but that's now happening.

If the legislative process worked, we would have amended the so-called Affordable Care Act's fatal flaws. If it worked, the repeal of the medical device tax, which has bipartisan support in the House and Senate, would have been sent to the President's desk long ago. It hasn't. It remains chained up in the Senate leader's office.

My constituents know that I don't run all three branches of government. They know it's not my party in the White House or in control of the Senate. Mr. Speaker, what they do expect is for me to be their voice in Washington, to solve problems, fix government, and put forward solutions.

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