Phil Gingrey

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Corporal Ivan A. Evans and recognize his service to our country in World War II. This December 7, Pearl Harbor Day, it will be my great honor to present the late Corporal Evans' wife, Sarah Ann Evans, with his well- earned service medals and decorations. At the age of 19, Evans enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort McPherson in East Point, Georgia. There, he was part of the 98th Infantry Division of the 367th Field Artillery Battalion before departing for Hawaii in July of 1945, where he trained as part of the Japan occupation forces. After Japan's surrender on September 2, 1945, Evans' infantry division helped oversee the country's transition from years of war into a democracy. While answering the call of duty, Evans earned the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp, the Honorable Service Lapel Button, and the Marksman Badge & Rifle Bar. Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor to present Sarah Ann Evans with these commendations, signifying her husband's selfless sacrifice during World War II. To preserve our history and tradition of service, Corporal Evans and the soldiers who served alongside him can never be forgotten. Their stories are the ones that define ``the greatest generation,'' where free people across the world stood up to tyranny, risking their lives for our dearest principles.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the recognition, for this time to spend talking to my colleagues on behalf of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives about the continued problem with ObamaCare and with the www.healthcare.gov Web site. The promise to Congress and to the American people was that by the end of November, November 30, the Web site would be fixed and that people would not have any problems whatsoever getting enrolled for ObamaCare on the government-created www.healthcare.gov Web site. Well, the administration has said, Mr. Speaker, that the problems that people had been faced with for the last 2 months--of course the rollout was October 1--had been essentially solved, that 80 percent of folks now could get health care, could complete their application, and would not get kicked off the system with an error message. But what they don't say is it is 80 percent of what. They go on to admit that 40 percent of the Web site, Mr. Speaker, has yet to be developed, and the law was signed into effect--and my colleagues all know this--was signed into effect on March 23, 2010. Well, today is, what, December 3, 2013. They have had over 3 years, 3\1/2\ years, essentially, to get this done. And it wasn't ready. The rollout was a colossal failure on October 1, even though $600 million, Mr. Speaker, had been spent to create this Web site; and that is what you get when you have a massive 2,600-page bill that was rushed through almost in the dark of night at the 11th hour in December of 2009 when the bill was not ready for prime time, and obviously this Web site was not ready for prime time. So it is incredibly concerning that the Obama administration has continued, Mr. Speaker, full speed ahead on the rollout of the system even after numerous warnings from vendors and from Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle in both Chambers--the House and the Senate. The Web site has led to confusion in the insurance marketplace as well as putting customers and consumers--patients, really. I say that as a practicing physician for over 30 years in the great State of Georgia. The Web site has led to confusion and has put consumers' personal information at risk due also to lax security protocols. It is not just this health care information, which is sacrosanct under HIPAA law, but also the security of the information--financial information, as an example. So I am still extremely concerned about the security risk inherent with this Web site that is 80 percent fixed; but 80 percent of 60 percent is 48 percent. So it is 52 percent not fixed after 3\1/2\ years. In last month's House Energy and Commerce Committee www.healthcare .gov data security hearing--I am a member of that committee, Mr. Speaker, the Health Subcommittee--other members and I heard testimony on the Obama administration's efforts to protect private citizens' sensitive health care data in the online marketplace. Hearing recent concerns that the site would become a central target for these so- called genius hackers and online thieves, we must make the protection of personal data one of the top priorities going forward. Www.healthcare.gov's rollout has been completely unacceptable, and we must work to ensure that the site's data security operations aren't fumbled, as well. It would be an even bigger disaster for the American people already faced with the other consequences of the law, including higher premiums and the likelihood that they will be unable to see the doctors who they are accustomed to, the hospitals they are accustomed to going to. This disruption is unbelievable, Mr. Speaker. And it is probably why Senator Orrin Hatch from Utah, back when this bill was signed into law by President Obama, said that, in his experience--and he has got lots of experience; he has been in both Chambers for years--that it was probably the worst bill that he had ever seen in his lifetime as a Member of Congress and as a Senator. And I definitely agree with him. The Obama administration claimed just this past Sunday that it had ``met the goal'' for www.healthcare.gov, and the online exchange would work smoothly for the vast majority of users.'' But upon closer examination, Mr. Speaker, this is not the case. In fact, ``meeting the goal'' checked a political box, rather than fully repair the faulty Web site. These are a few of the problems that still remain, Mr. Speaker. Get this: site engineers have created a disguised gimmick for these error messages that were frustrating people so much. Consumers will now be placed in what they call a queuing system, a line--queuing up--rather than receive an error message if the site is unavailable. That, supposedly, would make people less frustrated if they know they have got a place in line, rather than seeing this big old error message that I just saw probably 30 minutes ago, Mr. Speaker, when I tried to go online to www.healthcare.gov. I put in all the information that they asked me to put in. And as you know, all Members of Congress have to go into the District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange. We have to. As of January 1, we are no longer eligible to be on the Federal Employee Health Benefits plan. I don't really mind that because I thought from the very beginning what is good for the goose is good for the gander. I think the President, himself, will go on the D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Web site; and I had recommended that with an amendment back when the bill was first being debated. But as I said, the White House claims that the site can now handle-- all of the site--a 50,000-person capacity limit. But the number is untested, and it is still far short of the volume needed to be on track to reach President Obama's 1-year 7 million people sign-up goal--7 million people that, heretofore, have not had health insurance or maybe they got kicked off their health insurance plan because the promise of, If you like your health plan, you can keep it, has not been kept. Unfortunately, there are very many people--something like 5 million-- who have already been notified that they are not going to be able to keep their health care insurance even though they like it. Many health insurance professionals and public officials have gone public. They have reported that the site isn't anywhere near ready for prime time; and as much as 40 percent, as I said earlier, of the site has yet to be built. My hometown newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, the Atlanta Journal- Constitution, included a headline today: ``New and improved? Not so much, some Georgians find.'' And they went on to highlight three of the most glaring examples. Mr. Speaker, I am going to give you just a couple of examples in the interest of time. Robert Shlora from Alpharetta, Georgia, in Fulton County: shopping online and over the phone, Shlora has faced roadblock after roadblock in his quest to sign up for coverage through the marketplace. Shlora is paying nearly $2,800 a month for health insurance for himself, his wife, and their son--three people--and hasn't been able to shop around for years because he has a preexisting condition. The health law was expected to offer him much more affordable options. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been closely following Shlora's experience since the marketplace opened on October 1. Colleagues, you are not going to believe what I am going to tell you. Just listen to this. It is a comedy of errors, Mr. Speaker. On Saturday, the marketplace Web site still failed him--just this past Saturday--but he believed he had a breakthrough after a telephone operator said she could process the application that he had been working on for 2 months and sent his information over to Humana. He could call Humana Monday to arrange payment, she said. And this is a quote from him: ``They told me, 'You're good--you're all set,''' Shlora said. When he called Humana Monday morning, however, the insurer said it had no record of his application. The insurer's phone rep said she had researched the issue and called him back. She did call him back, but with bad news. After further research, she still found no record of his application. Shlora called healthcare.gov back and the telephone rep, Mr. Speaker, insisted he was enrolled with Humana, but could offer him no way to prove it. ``Humana said to check with them by the end of the week and maybe it will mysteriously appear,'' Shlora said. Let me give you another one, colleagues. Greg Paulauskis from my hometown of Marietta, Georgia. Paulauskis, an early retiree who buys his own health insurance, has also been trying to shop for coverage for himself and his wife since the day the health insurance marketplace opened. Again, October 1. What is it today? December 3. I thank the Atlanta Journal Constitution for their due diligence. They have been closely following his experience. Like Shlora, he has run into a series of frustrating obstacles. On Monday, he noticed that the Web site was quicker. They said that it was quicker. It is now handling 50,000 people at a time, and its appearance has changed. Its icons looked different. He tried to access his application that had been completed over the phone with a representative so that he could finally get to the step of actually selecting a plan, but the application wasn't visible on the site. Now this was just Monday. What is today? Tuesday. That was yesterday. He called and went through another lengthy process, to be told again what he has heard before. He can't see the plans on the site, but the operator could read plan information to him. Paulauskis isn't comfortable making a decision without seeing all the options in writing. The supervisor handling his call told him she could put in a work order and someone would call him back. She put in a work order. Paulauskis said he has made such a request five times since the marketplace opened and has yet, Mr. Speaker, to get a response. Now, who is Mr. Paulauskis? Well, he is a former college professor and he has a doctorate degree. He is a Ph.D. Paulauskis said he has probably spent more than 80 hours on the ObamaCare application process without being able to actually shop for a plan. That didn't change on Monday with the improvements to the marketplace Web site that you are hearing this administration, President Obama and Secretary Sebelius, saying: We're there. We have spent $600 million. It didn't work. So we brought in new, bright gurus, and they have been working 24/7 over the last 3 or 4 weeks, and now we have got it fixed. And we don't have it fixed. Forty percent of it hasn't even been built. Twenty percent absolutely are going to be in a terrible bind come January 1 if they have lost their health insurance coverage that they previously had and they don't have any coverage; in other words, they are just going bare. They don't intend to do that. They wanted to keep the insurance they had because they liked it. They found out that that was not true. I will be kind and use the word ``mendacity,'' rather than a lie. But it was pure mendacity. They weren't able to keep it. And so if you can't sign up during that 5-week period, which is over Monday, this coming Monday, you can't get signed up and have coverage by January 1. My goodness gracious, what if your child gets run over by a car or you have a heart attack in the week or month or however much time it takes after January 1, if you are in that 20 percent group, to finally get coverage? By that time, you are truly, if you survive, bankrupt because of medical expenses that are not covered. These stories were printed in the AJC, Mr. Speaker. There are plenty of others that have not been published. Let me share with you a few other stories from my constituents back in the 11th Congressional District of Georgia about the lack of affordable options ObamaCare offers them. Mike told me that ObamaCare ``has been a financial disaster for his family.'' It used to cost him just under $300 a month to cover his wife and daughter on their insurance plan. Under ObamaCare, that lowest level plan is the bronze plan. There are four choices. Gold, I guess, is the most expensive and covers the most things. It probably has the highest deductible. But under that bronze plan, instead of $300 a month, now he is going to pay, Mr. Speaker, $700 a month. And guess what? His deductible is $5,000. So he has to pay $5,000 out of pocket before insurance kicks in. He is paying $400 more a month. That is $4,800 plus the $5,000. His new plan under ObamaCare, because he is not eligible for any subsidy, is costing him about $10,000 more a year. Teresa and her husband from Cartersville, Bartow County, one of the great counties in the 11th Congressional District, told me that their premium is increasing from $550 to more than $900 per month. That is almost, Mr. Speaker, a 40 percent increase. Robert from metro Atlanta told me that, even though they were underwritten in June, his wife's policy has increased from $387 to $557 a month. And that increase is 30 percent. It is getting a little better, but, gee, a 30 percent increase? When President Obama talked about his great new health care plan, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, he said that, on average, families would see a $2,500 per year reduction in what they are paying for health care. Mr. Speaker, let's go back to the word ``mendacity.'' Nothing could be further from the truth. The average increase is probably $2,500 a year, not a decrease. This is truly unacceptable that with new mandates in insurance markets concerning essential health benefits premiums have to increase. And now we finally find out that Ms. Pelosi was absolutely right. Wait until you read it and find out what is in it. Where she was wrong is when she said then you would like it. I think the latest statistics that I read, Mr. Speaker, show that 61 percent of people today are opposed to ObamaCare--61 percent. That is a lot. That means 39 percent either don't have an opinion either way or are not sure or maybe they approve of it. But those are dismal, dismal numbers. We have seen more insurance policies canceled than created as consumers are faced with this sticker shock, all in the name of a bill that was sold to the American people as a way to lower the uninsured rate. Another statistic that I read just recently, and this is verifiable, when this bill was being talked about--again, back in 2009, shortly after Mr. Obama became our 44th President--it was estimated that there were something like 47 million people in this country, Mr. Speaker, who, through no fault of their own except couldn't afford it, didn't have health insurance. Well, go through those numbers. And I have a book with me that I am going to reference, and I want to give proper attribution. The name of the book is, ``The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen's Guide.'' Maybe it could be ``A Patient's Guide,'' and this is written by Sally Pipes. She talks in this book about that 47 million. Something like 15 million of those 47 million make more than $50,000 a year. Indeed, some make more than $75,000 a year, Mr. Speaker. They have just decided that they don't want health insurance; they will pay as they go. And there is nothing wrong with that. I don't advise it. I think everybody should at least have catastrophic coverage. But be that as it may, this is America. We have to insist on enjoying our liberties to do what we want to do with our hard-earned tax dollars and our own money. There are probably 10 million, maybe, of these that don't have health insurance that are in this country illegally. There may be another 6, 8, maybe even 10 million of that 47 million who are eligible for a safety net program like Medicaid and they just have not gotten the proper information or not bothered to go find out if they were eligible. A lot of the people that are signing up now are those individuals. So when you get right down to it, there will probably be not 47 million, but about 15 million that were falling through the cracks. What we have done has thrown out a market-driven health care system that is not perfect. I guarantee you, I agree with that. It is too expensive. And yes, indeed, we Republicans have some other ideas. I am going to yield in just a minute, Mr. Speaker, to my colleague, the cochair with me of the House GOP Doctors Caucus, the gentleman from Tennessee, fellow OB/GYN, Dr. Phil Roe, and he is going to talk about some of those Republican alternatives, or maybe even Democratic alternatives, because I think that is what it is going to come to. We have to repeal this law and not be embarrassed about it. If you made a mistake, you made a mistake. Own up to the American people that this is a bad law and repeal it and start over. But I am saying start over in a bipartisan way, and we can do that. We have got some thoughts on that, and I am going to, at this point, yield to Dr. Roe for his comments.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for being with us during this hour. I want to hold up this card so our colleagues can see. Basically, this is the bill that Dr. Roe--Representative Roe from Tennessee--is the author of, and I am a proud cosponsor. It is called the American Health Care Reform Act. Dr. Roe described many of the aspects of this, I think, 180-page bill. It is not a 2,700-page bill but a 180-page bill. As he points out--and I said this a little earlier, Mr. Speaker--this bill, the American Health Care Reform Act, a Republican alternative-- and we do have alternatives--first and foremost fully repeals the President's health care law, ObamaCare. It ends billions in taxes. It eliminates thousands of pages of unworkable mandates and regulations that literally--and I am not kidding you--are 8-feet high. I am not barely 6-feet tall, so just imagine that. It forces millions of Americans to lose access to their health plans and gets Federal bureaucrats, like IRS agents, out of health care decisions. What do they know about doctor-patient relationships? They don't know a thing about that. There are just seven bullet points on here, but they are good, commonsense, market-driven reforms. Dr. Roe talked about tax reform, which allows families to deduct health care costs. If they are sole proprietors--somebody who is a craftsman, who makes furniture in his or her basement, and maybe it is a husband and wife team--they don't get this break on their health insurance that Dr. Roe said was kind of artificially created back in World War II, back in 1942 or 1943. When wage and price controls were put in place and when companies, big companies, couldn't attract new workers because they couldn't pay them enough--they couldn't give them a decent raise--they started providing free health care, but the individual didn't get that break. So that is just one of the seven. I won't read all of them because we have been joined also by a great member of the House GOP Doctors Caucus, the gentlewoman from North Carolina. Her husband is a general surgeon, and she was a surgical nurse before Congress, and is, as I say, a member of the House GOP Doctors Caucus. She knows of what she speaks. I yield to Representative Renee Ellmers.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina. It is now my pleasure to yield time to the gentleman from Indiana, Representative and Dr. Larry Bucshon, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and also a member of the House GOP Doctors Caucus.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Bucshon, the gentleman from Indiana, for those remarks. I want to read a little bit from one chapter in Sally Pipes' book ``The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care.'' The title of this chapter, Mr. Speaker, is ``Solutions: Markets, Consumer Choice, and Innovation.'' That is really what Dr. Roe's bill is all about, the American Health Care Reform Act. Listen to this. Listen to what Sally Pipes says: None of the preceding chapters is meant to suggest that America's health care system is perfect. It is not. Costs are high, and too many Americans get left behind. Reform is desperately needed. But true reform of the health care system requires less government interference--not more. Only with a freer market can we lower costs and achieve quality universal health care. If we have universal choice in health care, we will reach universal coverage--a goal supported by all of us. Republicans and Democrats. Now, consider this: Mr. Speaker, I know you are familiar with LASIK corrective eye surgery. Most insurance providers, including government programs, won't cover the procedure. The market isn't distorted by excessive regulations. Providers operate in a free market where technology is constantly advancing, price competition is fierce, and the consumer is the king. Companies rise and fall according to their ability to provide customer satisfaction. In the past decade, more than 3 million LASIK procedures have been performed. During that time, the average price of LASIK eye surgery has dropped nearly 40 percent from $2,200 per eye to $1,350 per eye. Unfortunately, LASIK is a rare exception to the general rule. In just about every other area of health care, the government is heavily--heavily--involved. So the key to lowering cost and expanding coverage is to expand the LASIK model. That means encouraging competition by decreasing the government's role in the health care marketplace, not increasing it. Again, she goes on to mention many of these bullet points in Dr. Roe's bill, the American Health Care Reform Act--a better way, indeed a better way. At this point, I have just a few more minutes remaining, and I want to yield back to Dr. Roe.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Well, reclaiming my time and yielding it back to Representative Ellmers, let's hear some more passion from the gentlewoman from North Carolina.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Reclaiming my time, as we draw to a close, I said earlier, 61 percent of the American people are opposed even today, 3\1/2\ years after passage of this law, and they can't even get on the Web site. They can't get signed up. Wait until they get signed up and find out what they are going to have to pay and the amount of the deductible. I guess I would call that sticker shock. I think instead of 61 percent, it will be 80 percent will be opposed to it. I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Reclaiming my time as I close, I tried to get on today. I couldn't. I got the error message. I didn't even get put in the queue to make it a little softer. I got the error message and got kicked offline--and Monday is the last day. So I am going back to my office to try to get on once again. I am really feeling for the patients, the American people, the seniors who are in one heck of a mess because of this not well-thought-out, rushed bill that was totally partisan. You just can't do that in this Congress with a bill this important. We are talking about human lives here; life and death, and that is not the way to do it. We will come back with a solution, and I hope we will do that in a bipartisan way. I love the American Health Care Reform Act. I am a cosponsor. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Toyo Tire North America's Bartow County facility, which is celebrating eight years of fostering economic growth in Georgia's 11th Congressional District. In 2006, the Bartow Toyo Tire facility became the first U.S. consumer tire production operation. The plant includes a manufacturing facility and warehouse that serve customers throughout the country. Since then, Toyo has invested more than one billion dollars and created close to 1000 jobs in northwest Georgia, bringing financial stability and opportunity to Georgia families. This week, Toyo Tire will announce plans to begin the plant's fourth expansion, investing hundreds of millions of dollars and adding hundreds of jobs to the local economy. This is a huge testament to Georgia's pro-business environment, and one of the reasons Governor Deal certified Bartow County as a `Certified Work Ready Community.' Mr. Speaker, I proudly extend my deepest thanks to Toyo Tire North America, their Plant Manager Jim Hawk, and the Toyo employees who play such an important role in making Bartow County's economy flourish. On behalf of Georgia's 11th District, I congratulate the Bartow Toyo Tire facility on eight successful years. Here's to many more.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor the life my dear friend James ``Jim'' Bryon Adams, Jr.--an exemplary American citizen, husband, father, and grandfather. On November 10, Jim passed away peacefully at his home in Greensboro, North Carolina at the age of 70. Born and raised in Atlanta, Jim was the oldest son of the late James Byron and Marie Black Adams. After graduating from Druid Hills High School, he attended Georgia Institute of Technology and joined Sigma Nu fraternity, where we became friends. Jim was a reliable friend and fraternity brother. And on top of that, he was a dedicated leader in whatever organizations he joined. While I knew him, he was a Rush Chairman of our fraternity, Captain of the Varsity baseball team, President of the Rambling Wreck Club, and a member of the ANAK honorary society. After finishing his degree and a short stint with the Chicago Cubs minor league team in Washington State, Jim joined Deering Milliken-- presently Milliken & Company--in New York City which began a long and successful career in the textile industry. He was an executive at many companies in the industry and eventually became President of Flynt Amtex, where he retired at age 65, but continued serving on their board of directors. Jim's friends and family will remember him as a level headed and dispassionate man who could bring a lighthearted sense of humor to every situation. He took pride in his profession, cared deeply about his family, and enjoyed golfing with his friends. Mr. Speaker, I extend my deepest condolences to Jim's wife Daryl, his son James, his daughter Jill, his great grandson Brayden, his brother David, and his nephew James in this time of difficulty. It saddens me to know that the world is missing an honorable and dedicated man, but I am humbled to know that he is now in a better place.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from New York just said it: universal health care, single-payer system, a government takeover of one-sixth of our economy. That is what they wanted from the very beginning. I rise today in support of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act now. The Obama administration's health exchange enrollment announcement on Wednesday is one of the myriad reasons we must pass this bill. Frankly, these long-awaited numbers did not come as a surprise to us. A mere 100,000 registered for health care on the new marketplaces when they anticipated 500,000. According to a Health and Human Services report, the number does not distinguish even between those that actually paid a premium and those that just selected a plan by clicking a button on the Web site. Mr. Speaker, the number of Americans who have had their health plans canceled is in the millions--exponentially higher than those who receive coverage under ObamaCare. This disastrous law was destined to fail from the start. We on this side of the aisle, the Republicans--and indeed, the American people-- have known for 3 years that this plan is unworkable for small businesses; it is unfair for physicians and their patients; and it is unaffordable for we the taxpayer, we the people. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3350.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013. The Obama administration's health exchange enrollment announcement yesterday is one of myriad reasons we must pass this bill. Frankly, these long-awaited numbers did not come as a surprise. A mere 106,185 patients registered for healthcare on the new marketplaces, a fraction of their 500,000 target. According to the Health and Human Services report, the number does not distinguish between those who've paid a premium and those who ``selected a plan by clicking a button on the website.'' Mr. Speaker, the number of Americans who've had their health plans cancelled is in the millions--exponentially higher than those who've received coverage from Obamacare. This disastrous law was destined to fail from the start. For more than three years now, we've warned the law is unworkable for small businesses, unfair to patients and physicians, and unaffordable for taxpayers.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Isaac ``Ike'' Skelton was a consummate gentleman and a true class act. Ike was a humble man; he commonly referred to himself as a ``country lawyer.'' He was a tireless champion of our service men and women, both on the battlefield and off. He loved his family and everyone who encountered him knew it. He served the people of Missouri for 34 years with dignity and grace, and he will be missed. In Congress, one often hears the phrase ``my good friend'' or ``my friend across the aisle.'' Sometimes it can lose its meaning. But Ike and I had a close, personal friendship that extended far deeper than Washington's definition of one. Ike and I served on the Armed Services Committee together for six years. During that time, in the context of our committee service, we talked often about military education, the roles and missions within our Armed Forces, and Ike's famous book list. I accompanied him to Warm Springs, Georgia, where he received polio treatment as a teenager. The Warm Springs Foundation held a special place in his heart, and he spoke of the lessons he learned there often. In his farewell speech to the House of Representatives, he said: ``. . . never let illness define you, never be limited by the expectations of others, never give up, and never stop working.'' Ike exemplified that sentiment in everything he did. Polio prevented him from serving our country in uniform, so he chose to serve members of our military instead. Ike used to say he looked at all of our troops as someone's son or daughter. To that end, he worked with Democrats and Republicans alike to improve life for our military men and women. In his position as both Chairman and Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, he fought to ensure our troops had the necessary training, equipment and support on the frontlines. He worked to improve military housing and other services for them here at home. Several years ago, I had the privilege of attending the 8th and I Parade at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., where Ike was the guest of honor. It rained heavily that night, but like always, it was tough to dampen Ike's spirits. I learned so much from Ike and I will truly miss him. Ike was a one-of-a-kind congressman, and this body would be far better off with more members of his caliber. Our country has lost a statesman, his family has lost a husband and father, our military has lost a champion, and many of us he worked or served with have lost a friend.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 252, the PREEMIE Act. The number of families in this country affected by premature births is enormous. In 2008, 12.3 percent of all live births, over 500,000 babies, were born preterm. This number dramatically influences the rate of infant deaths as about two-thirds of all fatalities in the first year of life are among preterm infants. Prematurity or preterm birth is by definition a birth earlier than 37 weeks. Those children are usually not the problem. They're not the ones that end up with permanent disabilities. But there is a subset of prematurity, maybe sometimes referred to as ``immaturity'', children that are born as early as 20 weeks. Those children are the ones that very often, if they survive, are left with permanent long-term disabilities. The reauthorization of the PREEMIE Act is important to study, track, and prevent premature births in this country. This important legislation before us today will continue the important work begun in the original bill passed in 2006. I'll end my remarks with a personal story. My wife, Billie, and I, have 13 grandchildren and the oldest are 15 years old. They were born at 26 weeks and each weighed 1 pound and 12 ounces. Thank God they are virtually unimpaired today and in the ninth grade and doing well. My family's experience, plus the fact that I delivered numerous preterm infants as an OBGYN in Marietta, GA, simply reinforces the need for this bill. For these important reasons, I support S. 252.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee, Dr. Roe, for yielding time to me. It is incredibly concerning that the Obama administration has continued full speed ahead on a rollout of a system, even after numerous warnings from vendors and from Congress. The Web site has led to confusion in the insurance marketplace, as well as put consumers' personal information at risk to lax security protocols. Even after the Web site is technically fixed, Mr. Speaker, as Dr. Roe mentioned, and it probably will be, consumers will still face higher premiums and the likelihood that they will be unable to see the doctors to which they have grown accustomed. Mr. Speaker, I have heard from a number of my constituents in the past few weeks about the disastrous effects of the President's health care law. I will take a little time this evening to share with my colleagues a few of the observations from good, solid Georgians. Tom, a Georgia Blue Cross customer, told me his ``Blue Cross policy went up originally by about $50 due to the Affordable Care Act. About 2 weeks ago I got a note that said my old policy no longer exists, and my new policy will now cost $100 more.'' That is a quote from Tom. Dottie, from metro Atlanta, told me that her husband's employer was forced to drop their family plan and would, instead, offer them only two more costly options. Either plan would increase their premium by at least $160 a week, Mr. Speaker. A mother in my district told me that her young daughter's Humana plan was canceled only 2 weeks after being promised that the price of the new plan would be locked down for a full year. Mr. Speaker, the President kept telling the American people, and this is the quote, if they ``liked their insurance they could keep it, period''--and the period is part of the quote. It should have gone on, as Dr. Roe suggested, until they can't. This promise has surely been broken. Millions of citizens have received cancelation notices from their insurers. They are now left with uncertainty over whether this new coverage will also be affordable. Speaking of affordability, Mr. Speaker, let me share with you a few other stories from constituents, and then I will yield back to the gentleman from Tennessee because I know there are other Members on the floor that also want to speak on this issue. Mike told me that ObamaCare ``has been a financial disaster'' for his family. It used to cost him just under $300 a month to cover his wife and daughter on his insurance, but, under ObamaCare, even that bronze plan--you know, there are four options, and bronze is supposedly the least expensive--will cost him $700 a month. And get this, Mr. Speaker: a $5,000 deductible. He was formerly paying $300 a month. If you like your insurance, you can keep it. As Dr. Roe said, Mr. Speaker, everybody's premiums are going to be going down on an average of $2,500 per year. Not so. Not so. Teresa from Cartersville, also in my 11th Congressional District of Georgia, she and her husband told me that their premium is increasing from $550 to more than $900 a month. That is almost, Mr. Speaker, a 40 percent increase. Robert, from metropolitan Atlanta, again, a little part of my district, told me that even though they were underwritten in June, his wife's policy had increased from $387 to $557 a month. That is a 30 percent increase. Finally, before I yield back to the gentleman from Tennessee, Robyn from Atlanta received notice that her family's premiums will increase by 15 percent without any additional benefits. I yield back to Dr. Roe, and I look forward to continuing this discussion with my colleagues as we go through the evening.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I know there is another member of the House GOP Doctors Caucus that has just joined us, so I will just take a moment and then yield back to Dr. Roe so he can yield to Dr. Harris. I wanted to take just a moment to emphasize what Dr. Roe was talking about, Mr. Speaker, in regard to these mandates. Mr. Speaker, the Affordable Care Act, which we found out now is the ``Unaffordable Care Act,'' all of these mandates that are larded up into this essential coverage that the Federal Government is requiring is, indeed, the reason that the cost is going up. You can't include all those things that Dr. Roe was talking about without somebody paying for it. We talk about other options and what we on the Republican side, particularly the physicians, have offered in regard to alternatives. Many States have a lot of mandates in the health insurance program, and, under current law, you can't buy health insurance in another State. And so we have been pushing for years--the 11 years that I have been here--to pass what is called an association health plan, where a group or even an individual can go on the Internet--and probably not have the trouble they are having with healthcare.gov--and find out that in Tennessee, maybe, there is a policy that fits them to perfection. If they are a 55-year-old single man who doesn't need infertility coverage--and maybe their State requires it--doesn't want to have to pay for that, so he can get a more cost-effective policy that fits his needs to perfection. But by buying that health insurance across State lines, that is something that the other side of the aisle has completely rejected. And yet they have the mendacity, the audacity to say that we have no ideas, we have no plans, we have no alternatives. Indeed, we do.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I did want to speak about the young people, and I am talking about those who have had their 27th birthdays. They are aged 27, so they are not eligible any longer to be on their parents' health insurance plans. I have concerns over the effects of this law on these young people. I have warned for some time, and I have even introduced legislation to insulate the young from rate hikes, which are the direct result of these age-band provisions in the Affordable Care Act. Health insurance companies know, and their actuarians know, as they are educated, as they have studied, as they have gone to college and have gotten master's--advanced degrees--in figuring out what the premiums need to be at different age bands. The Federal Government has come along in this law and has said, well, it doesn't matter; that you can't charge any more than three times the premium for, let's say, a 62-year-old versus a 28-year-old. What that is doing, of course, is making the insurance companies just simply raise the premiums for everybody so they can possibly make a profit. I just want to conclude with one thing, Mr. Speaker, and then I will yield back to Dr. Roe for some closing comments. When this bill was marked up in 2009 in my committee--the Energy and Commerce Committee--as it was in Dr. Roe's as well, I submitted an amendment that said very simply: if you--the Democratic majority party and President Obama--are going to cram this down the throats of the American people, who don't want it and who have said they don't want it--60 percent of them said they don't want it--and if you are going to make them accept this, then, Mr. President, you, the First Lady, your two beautiful daughters, all of your Cabinet members, and all Members of Congress should also have to abide by what we, the people, have to abide by. That amendment--my amendment--was rejected strictly, straightforwardly by a party-line vote. All of the Republicans on the committee voted for it as a fairness issue, and all of the Democrats voted against it. So what happens? A Republican Senator put it in its version, which gets in the bill, but there is, all of a sudden, no subsidy. So, therefore, the President, by executive order, is saying that, oh, okay, these Members are now in ObamaCare, but because of their income, they are not eligible for any subsidy, so we are going to let them keep what the Office of Personnel Management gives them--our tax dollars--and 70 percent to 75 percent of the premium is paid by we, the people, to Members of Congress. That is grossly unfair. I just want to make sure that all of my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, understand that, and I think they do.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Timothy E. Tarchick and to recognize his lifetime of service to our country in the United States Air Force. On October 31, Col. Tarchick will retire from the United States Air Force after more than 35 years of dedication and sacrifice for our great nation. While Col. Tarchick currently serves as the Commander of the 94th Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, he has worked in many other capacities. After enlisting in the Air Force Reserve in 1978, he became an X-Ray Technician, and would later serve as a Loadmaster with the 910th Tactical Airlift Group in Ohio. After graduating from Officer Training School in 1984, he served in many units as Squadron Training Officer, Wing Plans Officer, Tactics Instructor, Flight Examiner, Chief Navigator, 4th Air Force Operations Staff Officer, Director of Operations, and Operations Group Commander. Throughout his career, Col. Tarchick was always ready to meet the call of duty. During hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he led the first Air Force rescue efforts that saved more than 1,000 people. And at his current position, he has successfully converted the 94th Airlift Wing from a training wing to a combat-coded tactical wing. Under his leadership, the 94th Airlift Wing hasn't suffered a single casualty. For his exceptional service, Col. Tarchick has earned the Legion of Merit, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, and many other awards. Col. Tarchick will surely be missed. He has played an invaluable role in the U.S. Air Force for decades, and his effective leadership has left a positive example of leadership that will be passed to all of those who served under him. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Georgia's 11th Congressional District, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Col. Tarchick for devoting his life to the upholding of our Constitution and to the protection of our American way of life. I wish him a happy--and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2189, legislation to establish a commission to evaluate the backlog of disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Although the VA has made important progress on reducing the backlog over the past several months, it still fell nearly 100,000 claims short of its Fiscal Year 2013 processing goal. As of October 19th, more than 400,000 disability claims remain backlogged at the VA. This problem persists despite the fact that Congress has given the VA every resource that they have asked for to end this problem. We must remain committed to a goal of completely eliminating this backlog. Our veterans deserve timely processing of claims so that they can get the care and compensation that they so deserve. The legislation before us today will get us closer to that goal by establishing a task force to evaluate the backlog and appeals process of claims. Furthermore, H.R. 2189 directs the commission to analyze potential improvements to the current system and solutions to solve the problem and in turn requires the VA to implement appropriate solutions. Our brave men and women in uniform put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, and we must do everything in our power to demonstrate our gratitude for their dedication and sacrifice. A first step in that process is ensuring that our veterans are not forced to wait hundreds of days simply to have their disability claims processed. Mr. Speaker, we owe our veterans efficient and effective care. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2189 so that we can find a solution to ending the backlog once and for all.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1405. This straightforward legislation contains several provisions relating to veterans benefits, and also includes a cut in bonuses at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under current practice, the VA pays out about $400 million in bonuses to its workers each year. Recently we have seen these bonuses too often go to people whose work does not merit a reward, and to the contrary, may even merit reprimand. This practice has been evident at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, where despite the fact that four unexpected deaths were attributed to mismanagement and lack of oversight, tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses were awarded to top level executives at the facility. It is past time that we stop rewarding people for simply showing up to work-- bonuses should be the exception, not the norm. Furthermore, at a time when so many of our soldiers are returning from war, and in light of the deaths in Atlanta, I believe the VA should prioritize veterans' health and well-being above all else. H.R. 1405 takes a positive step in ensuring that more discretion is used when providing bonus payments to employees at the VA. The legislation caps financial awards at the VA to no more than $345 million for fiscal years 2014 to 2018. It is time we stop rewarding lackluster work and focus instead on providing the best possible care for our veterans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in showing our gratitude for our nation's veterans by supporting H.R. 1405.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3080-- the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013. I would like to commend Chairman Shuster for his continued willingness to work with all Members to ensure that this bill is a truly bipartisan product. For the first time since 2007, this House will have the opportunity to debate legislation that authorizes our critical water infrastructure. I believe that this bill represents the proper reform that will implement deadlines, increase transparency at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and take offline $12 billion in projects that have been inactive for a number of years. Mr. Chair, while these overall reforms are beneficial, there are two specific aspects of this bil that are important to the State of Georgia--as well as the entire Southeast region. First and foremost, this legislation authorizes the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) to deepen the port from 42 feet to 47 feet. For a number of years, this important regional project has been delayed by a statutory oversight in a previous WRDA bill. However, H.R. 3080 will finally provide the State of Georgia the ability to commit the $201 million of the state share that has already been set aside. SHEP benefits both the State of Georgia and the country as a whole. It has been estimated that for every dollar invested in deepening the port, $5.50 would be generated for the country while providing savings of $174 million on shipping annually. Furthermore, the Army Corps' own General Re-evaluation stated that SHEP will create 11,554 jobs, over $551 million in labor income, and a gross regional value of over $794 million. With the upcoming expansion of the Panama Canal, SHEP will only help maintain a competitive edge for deep water ports in the Southeast. Mr. Chair, there is another aspect of WRRDA for which I commend the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for its work. Unfortunately, in the version of WRDA passed by the Senate in May of this year, there were attempts made by our colleagues in the other body to undermine the longstanding issue among Georgia, Alabama, and Florida regarding water usage in both the Apalachicola-ChattahoocheeFlint (ACF) Basin and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) Basin. This WRRDA bill is no place to interfere with ongoing negotiations, and I believe that this legislation's silence on this issue is the correct approach. For these important reasons, I support H.R. 3080.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Clem Melton Doxey for his long and distinguished career in medicine, and as the founder of Marietta Dermatology and The Skin Cancer Center. On September 30, Dr. Doxey retired from his practice after 43 years of service to his patients and his community. Since he began Marietta Dermatology in 1970, Doxey's passion for helping people has shown through his dedication to continue expanding his practice and personally serving between 40 and 50 patients a day. Dr. Doxey was the first dermatologist in the Marietta area, and his practice has since grown to 80 employees--including 11 partner physicians--at three locations in Marietta, Canton, and West Cobb. A native of Louisiana, Doxey received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering as well as a medical degree from Louisiana State University. After completing an internship at Oaknoll Naval Hospital, he graduated from Pensacola School of Medicine as a flight surgeon in 1963. He served in the First Marine Brigade in Vietnam, and then completed his dermatology residency at Tulane Hospital in 1970. Thereafter, Doxey moved to Cobb County with his family where he would serve the community with his knowledge of medicine. He also taught residents at Emory University for 22 years. Mr. Speaker, I extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Doxey again for his lifelong devotion to the practice of medicine and dedication to the people of our Northwest Georgia community. I wish him a joyous--and well-deserved--retirement.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough for his long and distinguished career in Academia, and as caretaker of the Smithsonian legacy since 2008. Secretary Clough announced this month that he would retire in October, 2014 after what will be six unforgettable years at the helm of this historic institution. Since Clough's tenure began, his unprecedented leadership has taken the Smithsonian in new directions--setting bold new educational goals that built on the institution's core strengths. As a part of this process, the Smithsonian has now become a world leader in new digital communications and imaging technology. To reach new audiences, Clough oversaw the first-ever online branding and advertisement campaign across all 50 states, and has put renewed emphasis on collaborations with universities and outside organizations. More than 400 exhibitions have been opened across the system under Clough's name, many of which are permanent. Before coming to the Smithsonian, Clough was a valuable leader on the staffs of many commendable institutions of higher education across the country. In particular, he served as the president of my own alma mater--Georgia Tech--for 14 years. During his time at these universities, he's been recognized with many formal academic awards. Among them, are his induction into Georgia's Technology Hall of Fame, Georgia Tech's Joseph M. Pettit Alumni Distinguished Service Award, election to the National Academy of Engineering, the 2008 NAE Bueche Award in public policy, and nine national awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers--including the 2004 OPAL lifetime award and 2012 President's award for his efforts in education. Mr. Speaker, I extend my deepest thanks for his lifelong devotion to education and his procurement of one of America's longest standing protectors of its history. I wish him a joyous--and well-deserved-- retirement.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, for allowing the House GOP Doctors Caucus to have the leadership hour tonight on this historic day, October 1, the ObamaCare exchange launch date. It's entirely fitting that the Speaker allowed our House GOP Doctors Caucus. This group, Mr. Speaker, is made up of medical doctors, made up of registered nurses, dentists, hospital administrators, psychologists, optometrists, with over--now, get this, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues--with over 600 years of clinical experience. Who knows better, in this Chamber of 435, than these 21 men and women who have spent almost their entire professional lives before being elected to the House of Representatives in the health care sector. So here we are, October 1, ObamaCare exchange launch date, and hearing about malfunctions nationwide. We have received warning signs for months now that ObamaCare wasn't ready, my colleagues, for prime time. Now, with exchange malfunctions in more than 30 States on opening day, the best HHS can do is tweet, I'm sorry? On top of that, after having years to prepare for this disastrous law, the President informed us that we could expect these glitches for months to come. ObamaCare was a bad law when it was signed 3\1/2\ years ago; and now that we know what's in it, I firmly believe it's even worse law today. Someone trying to receive coverage in the exchange right here in Washington, D.C., reported this today, Mr. Speaker: After waiting on hold for 3 hours and 43 minutes, I was finally able to speak to a representative, who told me she could not help me find a health insurance plan or provide any plan pricing information because, and this is a quote, ``the system is down and not currently working at this time.'' She recommended I call back in a few days. I guess $1.329 trillion in taxpayer funds no longer gets you a functional government takeover of health care. Mr. Speaker, how can the administration expect people to believe that the exchanges are ready and that this bill is ready for prime time, with Americans facing this sort of experience today, October 1, the roll-out date? Let me just take a moment and maybe play David Letterman. Top reasons why ObamaCare's exchanges aren't ready for prime time, colleagues: Number one, your data isn't secure. Think about that. In the ObamaCare exchanges, Federal bureaucrats will have unprecedented access to your personal data. Thank the navigators that were hired. They will have not only access to your health care data, but also to your financial data. And this raises a myriad of privacy questions, which are only further emboldened by the risk of human error. Recently, a Minnesota exchange employee accidentally leaked 2,400 Social Security numbers. Number two, no eligibility verification to enroll. No eligibility verification to enroll. The Obama administration announced this summer that it will allow individuals to self-attest that he or she meets income requirements to get a tax credit, a subsidy. Eligibility verification is not only required by the law, which the administration has chosen to ignore again; it ensures that aid reaches the most vulnerable Americans for whom it was intended. I recently voted for the No Subsidies Without Verification Act, to correct, Mr. Speaker, this reckless policy. That law, that bill that I voted for, it's not law yet because the majority leader in the Senate is putting it in File 13, where he puts every other bill that the Republican House passes. I'm very pleased that the author of this bill, Representative Diane Black from Tennessee, a member of the House GOP Doctors Caucus, is with us tonight; and I'll be yielding time to her momentarily. Number three, Mr. Speaker, software glitches. Across the Nation, further implementation delays have been caused by several glitches in the health exchange software. One of these accounts even strikes at the heart of the law's coverage expansion, making it impossible to determine how much people need to pay for coverage. Number four, system not prepared for small businesses. The Obama administration recently warned the small businesses, those companies that employ less than 50 people, sometimes maybe 10 or 15, that they won't yet be able to shop for health insurance for their employees through online exchanges, leaving them to rely on snail mail or faxes for at least another month. Number five, plans advertised on the exchanges, Mr. Speaker are misleading. Early this month it was reported that many insurers, including Florida Blue and Aetna, were concerned that information offered on the exchange sites was misleading and, in some cases, not representative of plans that exist. Well, I could go on, but at this point I would like to yield to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Black), my colleague and the author of that bill; and I know she wants to talk about that, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. I thank the gentlelady from Tennessee. Let me, colleagues, point out to you this poster that I have on the easel before us. This is the official United States Government Web site to get information about the rollout of the exchanges. And that's today, as we said at the outset of the hour, October 1. The Web site, healthcare.gov, if you went to it today, Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, here's the information you get: The system is down at the moment. We're working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Please try again later. Three-and-a-half years ago, March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act--the official name of this law--was signed by the President. It did become the law of the land. I don't think that the name of the law is very appropriate. Patient Protection? I doubt it. Affordable Care Act? Listen to this: In my home State of Georgia, Mr. Speaker, the Aetna Health Insurance Company has a number of policyholders. A recent letter was sent to those policyholders, Mr. Speaker. Let me read it, because I think this is so telling: We're here to help you with your health insurance. We value our customers. We want to help you understand your health plan options for 2014. Once again, Mr. Speaker, this is a letter from Aetna Health Insurance to their policyholders. The Affordable Care Act is changing health insurance. This includes adding new preventive care and essential health benefit requirements. In other words, mandated. The government is going to tell people and health insurance companies what has to be in the policies. They go on to say: The Affordable Care Act also ends medical underwriting. Due to these and other changes, some people will pay more for their health coverage and others less. In other words, standard rates, whether you have a preexisting condition. You could have heart disease, you could have high blood pressure, you could have diabetes type 2, or you could be a 28-year-old man or woman, healthy, strong, athletic, no bad habits, enjoy the Methuselah gene in your family. And so you're going to pay the same thing that someone does that's 58 years old and with three or four preexisting conditions. Well, that's exactly the case, and that's why Aetna goes on to say to their policyholders: The Affordable Care Act will affect your health insurance plan. Your current policy will end December 31, 2013. You need to buy a new plan now so that you do not have a gap in coverage on January 1, 2014. And then they go on to say this, Mr. Speaker: Here are your buy-in options. Buy a 2013 Aetna plan effective in December. This plan is identical to your current coverage, and it would continue for the next 12 months. Then, you will need to buy a new Affordable Care Act plan in 2015. If you choose this option, please take action by November 25, 2013. Now, here's your other option, as they point out. Option number two: Buy a 2014 Aetna Affordable Care Act plan-- ``Affordable,'' I emphasize that again. --effective January 1, 2014. This plan meets all the Affordable Care Act requirements. If we don't hear from you or you don't take any action, we will automatically enroll you into the 2014 Affordable Care plan below. Now, listen to this, Mr. Speaker. The current plan, the one that they're on, the 2013 plan, Georgia Managed Choice Open Access Value 2500--that's what the plan is called--if you go ahead, as they said, by November 25, 2013, and sign up, you re-up for that plan that you like-- and the President said, If you like your plan, you can keep it; remember that one?--then your monthly premium will be $364. Your other choice, the 2014 Affordable Care Act plan, Aetna Classic 3500 PD, $634 a month, Mr. Speaker. Remember, the 2013 plan, I said $364. If you buy the affordable care plan mandated by the government in 2014, it's double. So anybody that thinks that the insurance commissioner, Ralph Hudgens, of the State of Georgia didn't know what he's talking about several months ago when he said that the Affordable Care Act, in some instances--and this is Aetna giving us their information--the premiums are going to go up as much as 100 percent, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we're talking about. We just absolutely cannot afford the Affordable Care Act. The President assured us that this was paid for and that it was not going to cost more than $900 billion over 10 years. The CBO now says, Mr. Speaker, that it's at least twice that much in cost. Look, at midnight on October 1, as you heard my colleagues from the other side of the aisle just a few minutes ago in their leadership hour talking about the Federal Government shutting down, indeed, at midnight on October 1, appropriations for the Federal Government did expire. By law, Congress must agree on a funding measure or the government will shut down. As Washington has been run by Democrats for the past 5 years, Mr. Speaker, it's become a dysfunctional disaster. Americans expect, and they deserve, their elected officials to work together to find solutions. President Obama and Senate Democrats have drawn red lines and they refuse to negotiate or even talk to those who disagree with them unless, of course, it's President Vladimir Putin of Russia or Hassan Rouhani of Iran. In fact, House Republicans have passed three continuing resolutions, or temporary spending bills, to keep this government open and to either defund or to delay ObamaCare--which the majority of Americans support. They were against it 3\1/2\ years ago; they are against it today; and they support what we are doing in the Republican House of Representatives. I praise and commend Speaker John Boehner and the leadership of Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy for the strength that they have had in regard to this and for being so inclusive for every single member of our caucus. All of these proposals, Mr. Speaker, that were submitted to the Senate were rejected. They were rejected by Harry Reid and Senate Democrats. This morning, in the wee hours of this morning, the Senate voted 54- 46 against coming to the negotiating table with House Republicans. I'll refer my colleagues to this poster. I would like for all of you to take a close look at this poster because this says it all in these hashtags: Let's talk. If the President can talk to Putin and the President can talk to Rouhani, why in the world can't the President talk to conferees in the House of Representatives, just sit down and talk? You've rejected not one, not two, not three, but four of our proposals without even a response, without even a counterproposal. And what the Speaker has said is: Let's talk. I have appointed--and he has appointed the best and brightest minds on the Republican side of this Chamber to discuss this issue with the conferees. But Mr. Speaker, Harry Reid, the majority leader, has refused to come to the table, has refused to appoint conferees. In fact, look at hashtag number two in regard to what we have been asking as just some compromise in regard to passing a CR and keeping this Federal Government open. We have nobody on our side of the aisle-- nobody, Mr. Speaker--wanted this government to shut down. But here is what was rejected by the House, by the Senate Democrats, by Harry Reid, the majority leader. Look at this second hashtag: Fairness for all. Fairness for all. If the President, Mr. Speaker, can say to large employers across this country who went to him and lobbied--big lobbying shops with the ability to do this, that said, look, we're not ready; January 1, 2014 does not give us time to prepare the documents that we need to prepare that are required by the Affordable Care Act--and the President, by Executive order, granted them a year delay with no fines, no penalties, no nothing. Everything the same as it was prior to the passage of ObamaCare. So we say: Fairness for all. Why not do that same thing for middle America, for the men and women that are struggling, working every day, sometimes two jobs, to support their families. You're going to say that for them, no waiver, no special treatment, no fairness. If you don't have a health insurance policy--and one that is dictated to you by the Federal Government in regard to what it has to entail--then we're going to fine you $95 if you're an individual or $295 if you're a family. That was one of the things that we asked of the Senate in regard to extending the CR, fairness for all--summarily rejected by Harry Reid. Then the last point: no special treatment. You know, colleagues, Mr. Speaker, you know exactly what I'm talking about here. Members of Congress, by law--this was put in on the Senate side. But by law, Members of Congress and their staff no longer, come January 1, will be in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan. They will be part of ObamaCare. They will have to get their health insurance in the exchanges. By law, they're not eligible, unless their salary allows it--maybe some entry-level staff members would be eligible for a subsidy, but certainly no Member of Congress. Well, the people in Georgia, the people in my district, when they found out about that, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues, they were absolutely livid. This is a fairness issue. This is absolutely something that anyone can see is wrong. We should be treated--we, the democratic majority, not we Republicans--but Congress enacted this law, and to say that we should get a dispensation from it and then cram it down the throats of the American people who never wanted it in the first place, that is grossly, grossly unfair. Well, Mr. Speaker, I see that I've been joined by another colleague of mine in the House GOP Doctors Caucus. This is the gentlewoman from North Carolina, a registered nurse. Her husband is a general surgeon. She is a great Member of this body, and I'm proud to yield to Representative Renee Ellmers.