[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4] [House] [Page 4509] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]DARK DAY FOR AMERICA The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) for 5 minutes. Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Yesterday was an historic day in this Nation. The problem for our citizens is that it was historically dark. Madam Speaker, it's raining in Washington today. It's raining because our Founders are weeping. Our Founders are weeping over the incredible vote taken yesterday that was an affront to federalism, an affront to individual liberty, and an affront to freedom. And it's distressing--so very distressing--to so many citizens across this land because they know there were positive solutions--there are positive solutions--to put in place as it relates to the challenges that we face in health care. As a physician, I know that when you put government in between patients and families and doctors, it is destructive--destructive to the trust that we hold dear in order to bring about the greatest amount of quality health care in our land. It was distressing on another avenue as well, and that is it was so hyper partisan--the hyper- partisan way in which this vote passed. Madam Speaker, the bipartisan vote on this bill was a ``no'' vote. The vote was 219-212--all Republicans, joined by 34 Democrats, opposing the bill. In much of the debate yesterday, we heard about how it was being compared to Social Security in 1935 and Medicare in 1965 and the momentous aspects of those votes. Madam Speaker, it's curious to note that on those votes, the House approved the Medicare bill in 1965 by a vote of 313-115, with nearly half of the House Republicans voting for it at that time. In the Senate, it was approved 68-21, with half of the Republicans supporting it. A major difference between that vote and this vote. Social Security passed the House in 1935 by a vote of 372- 77, with four-to-one, or 80 percent of the Republicans supporting it in the House, and 75 percent of the Republicans in the Senate supporting it. So, Madam Speaker, it is so distressing that this bill had to be so divisive--not just for this Chamber, but for our land. The American people are angry. And they're angry because they don't believe that the bill that was passed yesterday includes any of the fundamental American principles that we hold dear for health care--affordability, accessibility, quality, responsiveness, innovation, choices. All of those are things that we believe ought to be in place for health care in our Nation. All of them are violated by the bill that was passed yesterday and reportedly will be signed into law tomorrow by the President. Madam Speaker, the American people are angry. They want Washington to listen. They deserve Washington to listen. We are about to be a government that no longer has the consent of the governed. Madam Speaker, that's a very dangerous place to be. So I call on Speaker Pelosi and I call on the Democrats--the Democrats in charge in this House--to end the arrogance of one-party rule; end the tyranny of one- party rule; end what Alexis de Tocqueville over 150 years ago said was the only threat to our Nation, and that is the tyranny of the majority. End the tyranny of the majority in this town right now. The challenges that we have in this Nation are immense, and they can be solved most beneficially, respecting our Founders and respecting our citizens, by working together positively in a truly bipartisan way and by listening and representing our constituents. I call on the Speaker for positive action for freedom and for liberty and for democracy. ____________________