Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind the chairman that his vote for the healthcare bill will take away protections for 654,000 people with preexisting conditions in Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Mrs. LAWRENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my remaining time to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Kentucky that his vote for the healthcare bill will take away protections for 881,000 people with preexisting conditions in Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Tennessee that her vote will take away protections for 1.265 million in her State with preexisting conditions. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my colleague from Tennessee that his vote could increase premiums with breast cancer in Tennessee by $38,550 per year. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Ms. LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Virginia that his vote for the healthcare bill will take away protections for 1,344,000 people with preexisting conditions in Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Florida that his vote for this bill could increase premiums for people with asthma in Florida by $4,090 per year. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself another 15 seconds to say this: Do not buy into this hoax. There is no money left. They want to go back to the old system, and the old system stunk. What we did was correct the problems of the old system. So don't believe this cruel hoax. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey as it celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. Since its founding, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has provided quality, accessible insurance to its customers. Its commitment to the service and benefit of its policyholders is truly deserving of this body's recognition. The oldest and largest health insurer in New Jersey, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon) was established in 1932 as the Associated Hospitals of Essex County, Inc. and today serves more than 3.8 million residents. It is also New Jersey's largest Medicaid insurer, covering 841,000 patients. Additionally, Horizon provides a substantial impact on the economic growth of New Jersey as well as thousands of employment opportunities to New Jersey residents. Horizon strives to fulfill its mission of improving the well-being of its members and the overall health care industry through a comprehensive approach to medical care. In addition to its medical, dental and prescription insurance coverage, Horizon offers patient support programs, case management, around-the-clock medical advice and lifestyle wellness resources. Supporting local community organizations through the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Horizon aims to improve the health of individuals across New Jersey. Since its inception in 2004, the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey has given $47.8 million in grants to various organizations, including the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Clubs of New Jersey. Horizon's employee Horizon Cares program also provides hands-on volunteer assistance to neighborhoods across the state. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope my colleagues will join me in celebrating the 85th anniversary of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. The company continues to uphold its mission to providing outstanding services to its customers and New Jersey's communities.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Earth Day 2017 provides an important opportunity to raise awareness of the consequences of President Trump's executive action abandoning meaningful progress on climate. Left unchecked, climate change will continue to harm the health and safety of our communities. That is why the American Public Health Association declared 2017 as the Year of Climate Change and Health. Seasonal changes, higher temperature, droughts, and severe storms are leading to more heat-related illnesses and death, increased asthma attacks, and more severe allergies. The scientific evidence is clear: climate change endangers human health. The health harms of climate change led 11 medical societies to form the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, which recently issued a report titled: ``Medical Alert! Climate Change Is Harming Our Health.'' One of the consortium doctors said: ``The worst-case scenarios of climate change really worry me. It would mean a level of human suffering we can hardly contemplate, much less respond to.'' Mr. Speaker, we can't allow that to happen. This problem demands immediate action, not denial, and certainly not delay.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, nearly every day now, we hear about new ways our enemies are trying to steal Americans' information. Just a couple weeks ago, two Russian hackers were indicted for stealing personal information from millions of us. American consumers visit billions of internet destinations through a multitude of devices. Broadband providers potentially have access to every bit of data that flows from a consumer. The American people are rightfully concerned about companies selling their personal information, including sensitive information like their location, financial and health information, Social Security numbers, and information about their children. Late last year, the FCC took steps to protect every American citizen's data and privacy, and the rules were simple: first, broadband providers had to ask their customers before selling any data; second, the companies had to take reasonable measures to protect that data; and third, the companies had to let people know if their data was stolen. That was a good first step, Mr. Speaker. But Congress also has a role in protecting our data, and we should be working in a bipartisan fashion to discuss ways we can better protect the American people's data. Instead, the Republicans have decided to spend this time wiping out the few privacy safeguards that we already have. The FCC's cybersecurity rules are, in my opinion, not burdensome. They simply tell the network providers to be reasonable when protecting the data. That is all. The FCC left it to the companies, themselves, to use their best judgment about how to get the job done. They just needed to be reasonable. It seems being reasonable is still too much for the Republicans-- first in the Senate, and now here in the House. This resolution tells the companies charged with running the country's broadband networks that they no longer have to be reasonable when it comes to their customers' data. So I say, Mr. Speaker, make no mistake: This resolution is a gift to countries like Russia who want to take our citizens' personal information. And if the House passes this resolution, it will go straight to the President's desk, a President who will be more than happy to sign his name to this gift to the Russians. This resolution also gives large corporations free rein to take customers' data without anyone's permission. This debate is about whether Americans have the freedom to decide on our privacy. We hear all kinds of complicated arguments about jurisdiction, implementation dates, and who knows what else, but these arguments just muddy the water. Republicans will say that the FCC's rules are confusing to consumers, people won't know what to do if they are asked first before broadband companies sell their sensitive information. If that were the case, we would have heard from people who oppose the rules, but we simply have not heard any of those concerns. The facts speak for themselves. Consumers want more privacy protection, not less. Seventy-four percent of Americans say it is very important that they be in control of information, and 91 percent of people feel they have lost control over their own information. There are real consequences to these feelings. Nearly half of Americans say they limit their online activity because they are worried about their privacy and security. That is why they overwhelmingly support stronger protections. The FCC listened to the American people and adopted reasonable rules. Despite Republican claims to the contrary, the rules were not hard to follow. The rules still allow broadband companies to offer services based on their customers' data, and they can still customize ads or send reminders. The FCC's rules simply required companies to ask people first before selling their sensitive information. That is it. In fact, I had hoped the FCC would have gone even further, but the agency chose this more moderate approach. So as this debate proceeds, we should be asking one simple question: Should the American people have the freedom to choose how their information is used or should the government give that freedom away? I think the answer is clear. I stand with the American people, and, therefore, I strongly oppose this legislation.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, what did the Chair say?

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague, my chairman, Greg Walden, that his vote for this bill will result in 64,300 people from his congressional district in Oregon losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, President Trump and congressional Republicans are not leveling with the American people when they say no one will be worse off under this repeal bill. TrumpCare dismantles the health and economic security that millions of hardworking Americans have gained over the last 7 years, and it should be defeated. There is a reason this bill was hatched up in the back rooms only to be finalized last night, and that is because congressional Republicans did not want the American people to see what was in it. TrumpCare provides less coverage, fewer protections, and higher costs. TrumpCare is Robin Hood in reverse, taking benefits and financial assistance from hardworking, middle class Americans and our most vulnerable in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest and the corporations. TrumpCare cuts a combined $1 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid. These cuts are devastating, Mr. Speaker. TrumpCare will ration care for the 76 million Americans who rely on Medicaid, including seniors with long-term care needs, Americans with disabilities, pregnant women, and vulnerable children. I fear for seniors, Mr. Speaker, those in nursing homes. When States get less money, what will they do? They will give less money to nursing homes. We will go back to the days that I remember in New Jersey when nursing homes were terrible places, where there weren't enough nurses, where there were fires because of lack of maintenance of the nursing home. Working families are going to pay more for less. They will see their premiums and deductibles skyrocket. My GOP colleagues talk about high deductibles and copays. Well, you ain't seen nothing yet. You are going to see that this repeal repeals the limits on deductibles and copays that exist under the current law. Out-of-pocket costs are going to go through the roof. The deductibles will go even higher. The copays will go even higher. The out-of-pocket costs will go even higher. And the bottom line is Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 will pay an age tax and be forced to pay premiums five times higher than what younger people pay for their coverage. I have heard my colleagues on the other side say, well, that is only fair. Well, I don't think it is fair that seniors should have to pay a lot more, that those between 50 and 64 should have to pay a lot more. Also, TrumpCare leaves the sickest and vulnerable Americans at the mercy of insurance companies, allowing them to charge a 30 percent penalty or sick tax to those who are unable to maintain continuous coverage. So if you fail to pay your insurance for a month and then you want to get it again, even if you have a preexisting condition, which is often the case, you are going to pay a 30 percent penalty, or sick tax. I don't think that is very fair. Last night, in order to garner votes from the extreme right in their party, House Republicans added a provision that eliminates protections for essential health benefits. Now, maybe people don't understand that, but let me explain it. The ACA ensured that, when a consumer purchased health insurance on the individual market or gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, their plan would cover 10 critical, essential benefits. TrumpCare eliminates this guarantee, meaning that unscrupulous insurance companies can sell skeletal plans, junk insurance, without benefits for hospitalization, maternity care, mental health, drug treatment services, and Americans won't even know what they are getting. They won't realize that they have worthless insurance until they get sick and it is too late. The bottom line is this bill should be defeated for so many reasons because so many more people will not have health insurance, because their costs are going to go up, and because they won't even know what insurance they are buying. We are going go to back to the old days of the Wild West when insurance companies could sell whatever junk insurance they want and the public won't even know what they are getting. It is a disaster for the American people. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague that, in Mr. Barton's case, his vote for this bill will result in 64,900 people from his congressional district in Texas losing health coverage and care. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Michigan that his vote for this bill will result in 43,500 people from his congressional district in Michigan losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Mississippi that his vote for this bill will result in 69,600 people from his congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green), the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my friend from Kentucky that his vote for this bill will result in 44,000 people from his congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Indiana that his vote for this bill will result in 37,800 people from his congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Indiana that her vote for this bill will result in 37,700 people from her congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor), the vice ranking member of our committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Texas that his vote for this bill will result in 61,900 people from his congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from New York that his vote for this bill will result in 58,000 people from his congressional district losing healthcare coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Michigan that his vote for this bill will result in 39,500 people from his congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague from Georgia that his vote for this bill will result in 62,800 people from his congressional district losing health coverage and care. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).