June 29, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 119 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN R. CURTIS

                                of utah

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 29, 2020

  Mr. CURTIS. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted nay 
on H.R. 1425, the State Health Care Premium Reduction Act. I missed 
this vote due to a scheduled surgery I underwent.
  Right now, we must deliver the most effective treatments to patients 
infected with COVID-19 and all those suffering from other life-
threatening illnesses. Breaking down barriers to receiving timely care 
must remain our number one priority in order to halt transmission of 
the virus.
  H.R. 1425 does the opposite by dramatically expanding the role of 
government through unconstitutional inventions in our pharmaceutical 
industry and broader healthcare system. This would put our brightest 
scientific minds in handcuffs and threaten their ability to develop 
future cures for COVID-19 and other life-threatening diseases.
  These are especially concerning decisions to make without bipartisan 
input. We have to work together in order to deliver solutions that give 
Americans more control over how they are receiving their health care. 
Solutions could include expanding access to health savings accounts or 
association health plans to be sold across state lines and with more 
portability. I recently introduced legislation to increase access to 
both options and I encourage my Democratic colleagues to join me as I 
look for creative solutions to make health care more affordable for 
millions of hard-working Americans.
  Finally, I want to point out that Congress has already taken 
unprecedented steps to increase access to care for the uninsured and 
any American household dealing with the effects of COVID-19. It is 
critical that our focus remains defeating this virus, keeping Americans 
healthy, and allowing hard-working men and women across our great 
nation to return to work. We cannot place greater strains on our 
already over-worked health care system through one-size-fits-all policy 
making.

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