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   (Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

   Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to challenge all of my colleagues, Democrats, Republicans and independents, to pass legislation that would provide all Americans with the health care protections that they need and deserve. I am very concerned that patients from my district are being denied the health care coverage they need to lead productive lives. It seems that I cannot pick up my local newspapers, the Beaumont Enterprise or the Texas City Sun, without reading about someone who was denied care because some insurance company bureaucrat decided that a procedure was not necessary. It is one thing to keep down costs, but it cannot be done at the patient's expense. That is why I support yesterday's reintroduction of the patient's Bill of Rights. I am confident that the Bill of Rights will give residents of Hotel Beaumont, a senior citizens community in the heart of my hometown, the right to choose a specialist and to see the same doctor throughout treatment.

   It is time for us to put our money where our mouth is. Let us prove to the American people that this Congress can work together to address issues they really care about. Let us pass the Patients' Bill of Rights.

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