Chairman Jodey Arrington Delivers Statement of Support During Floor Debate on H.R. 766
WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) spoke on the House Floor in favor of H.R. 766, the Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act. The bill passed by a voice vote.
The historic accomplishment marks the first time in history that a bipartisan bill with sole Budget Committee jurisdiction has been brought to the Floor under a suspension of the House rules.
Click HERE to watch Chairman Arrington’s Statement.
Chairman Arrington’s Statement as Delivered:
“I’d like to thank my friend, the gentleman from Texas. What a great career you've had in public service. You've been truly an inspiration, and a leader among your equals here in the people's house on health care issues. You were the founder of the Doc Caucus. You are the health care subcommittee chair at the Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C), our Health Care Task Force Chair in the Budget Committee. There is nobody in this chamber, and I would submit in the United States Congress, that knows more about health care, and who has endeavored more over the years to make health care work.
I want to thank my Democratic colleagues, Ms. Omar, and my colleagues. This is proof that we can work together in good faith to find common ground and consensus solutions to make this country and its government work for the people. I want to thank Ms. DeGette for her kind words. We have young people in the gallery who got to hear something they don't often hear on cable news, which is a colleague from one side of the aisle complimenting another; what great decorum, what a great example of civil discourse in their nation’s capital, they need to see more of it.
But I'm grateful that we have an opportunity to address the triple aim in health care that often is underutilized because of simply the way we score it. Healthcare innovation and technology can improve access, quality outcomes, while bending the curve on cost. Not just to our patients, and to our fellow Americans, but also to the taxpayers.
Health care is a third of the budget, it's a big driver of our debt, and we've got to look for common sense solutions to improve across the board these important outcomes.
So again, thank you, Ms. Omar, and thank you, Ms. DeGette for your leadership, and to my friend from the great state of Texas. What a legacy. We named this after Dr. Burgess, he was loath to allow that, but it is appropriate because of all that he's done to leave this country better than he found it. This no doubt is going to have a tremendous impact for the future. So to my friend God bless you. Godspeed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield.”
