Date: 2004-05-11
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. Vice President CHENEY has told the Nation that people. ought to get off Secretary Rumsfelds case and let him do his job. President Bush has called him "really good" and "superb" in the last week alone. There are many reasons Why Mr. Rumsfeld should resign from his position as Secretary of Defense. It is not just because he engaged in a coverup in keeping the atrocities at the Abu of Ghraib P United S edge abo petency the poli set bff world by ing place humiliat when the diers eng But it over the managed Iraq. bec allow hi prestigio had actu and rest who had ties of A ahead w resource equipme adequate for this. his nun force pro . Becaus his rush Chiefs of Learned. protecti cently. t by the P proper e tection proper k terms o out of fo essary. h with the ing. for the casus ing to t why See: HEAL The S ant to t Representatives rison from the Congress of the ary 20. 2004. the gentleman from Texas tates when he had full knowl- is recognized during mornut it. but it is also his incom- ing hour debates. to appreciate and understand Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker. this week. tical firestorm that would be the House will make history. taking up across the Islamic and Arab the first of eight components of the the humiliation that was tak- most ambitious and forwardlooking or even the suffering and the economic agenda in a generation. For ion that Americans would feel the next 8 weeks. the House will debate y saw these outofcontrol sol- and pass legislation that will begin the aging in that conduct. process of remaking our economy for is also because he is reigning the new century. most incompetent and mis- Rather than treating individual poloccupation of the country of icy initiatives in a vacuum. the Amerause his arrogance would not ican Careers Initiative takes a comim to pay attention to those prehensive approach. treating health us institutions and people who care. energy. education. taxes. regula.al experience in peacekeeping tion and lawsuit abuse reform as parts oring democracy to countries. of a broader economic agenda. done it without taking casual- For the next 2 months. the House will .merican.soldiers. They pushed focus on one of the eight components of ith an inadequate number of the Careers Initiative each week. starts in terms of soldiers and ing tomorrow with Health Care Secunt. they pushed ahead with in- rity. resources in terms of paying First. we will pass legislation to reand for the force protection. form medical malpractice liability nber one responsibility. the laws to protect good doctors. nurses. tection of our soldiers. and hospitals from predatory trial lawe of his actions and because of yers and their abusive lawsuits. lowto war. as the Pentagon Joint ering the cost of health care. Staff study tells us in Lessons Second. we will pass the Small Busithey failed to provide for the ness Health Fairness Act. which will on of these soldiers. More re- allow small businesses to enjoy the hat failure has been translated same economies of scale now used by entagon to say because of im- large corporations. organizations. and quipment for the personal pro- labor unions in their health plans. of soldiers. because of the im- Third. we will make Flexible Spendkind of mix of equipment in ing Accounts even more flexible. by alf nonarmored Humvees. one lowing account owners to hold on to ur of the casualties was unnec- some of their unspent health savings lad we been properly prepared year to year or even roll some of that proper equipment. the train- money into a new health savings acour soldiers. One out of four of count. alties was unnecessary. accord- We will do all of these things not he Pentagon. another reason simply because they are good health retary Rumsfeld should resign. care policies. but because they make for greater economic policies. By reducing the* threat of abusive TH CARE AND AMERICAN lawsuits. more doctors will continue to PROSPERITY see patients and thereby help to reduce PEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- the crisis in health care access. By alhe order of the House of Janu- lowing small businesses. to reduce the cost of employee health insurance. those businesses will in turn use their savings to invest in new products and hire new employees. And by expanding the utility of Flexible Spending Accounts. we will promote more health care competition and help Americans save money on their insurance costs. All of these new policies will help break down the barriers between the American people and the affordable quality health care that they demand. And they will also break down the barriers between them and the thriving competitive and prosperous 21stcentury economy that they deserve.