Don't Hide Health Care Decisions From Judicial Review

Floor Speech

* Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, when Democrats introduced health care legislation, the Administration wanted to rush it through Congress before its cost could be calculated.

* When Republicans wanted to review health care legislation before they were made to vote on it, Democrats refused to let them see the language.

* Look for more of the same. For instance, the House Democrats' health care legislation prevents federal health care decisions from getting judicial review.

* Stealth provisions of the House bill take away Americans' rights to challenge government decisions that will profoundly affect their lives. The courts are not allowed to review challenges to decisions to impose payment rates for doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs.

* The courts can't review decisions to rest health care reimbursement on racial and ethnic criteria. And the courts can't review decisions intended to control other features of our health care system.

* When Democrats hide what they are doing and limit Americans' rights, we know that the game is not about improving Americans' health care. It is about increasing government power at the people's expense.

* And it's time to blow the whistle on that rigged game.

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