THE CONAWAY CHRONICLE, Volume 4, Issue 9

Thank you for reading The Conaway Chronicle, a review of my activities in Congress. This newsletter is to let you know what’s going on in Washington and what important issues are being debated in Congress.

Health Care Bill Passes House

This past Saturday, the House of Representatives narrowly passed HR 3962, Speaker Pelosi’s 2,000 page government-run overhaul of our health care system.

Over the past six months, I have had the opportunity to visit with thousands of people in West and Central Texas about the issue of health care reform. Across the board, the overwhelming consensus has been the same: the proposed plan that passed on Saturday is bad medicine.

The Democrat’s health care bill will cost Americans more than $1.2 trillion over the next decade. To put that in perspective, if our government were to spend one dollar every second on this health care plan, it would take 31,688 Years, 269 Days, 1 Hour, 46 Minutes, and 40 Seconds. It is a staggering realization, and is a number we simply cannot afford. It is a cost that will be placed squarely on the backs of hard-working Americans in the form of massive tax increases.

I agree that our health care system needs reform. However, I do not believe that if the kitchen sink is broken, you tear down the house to fix it. I am vehemently opposed to this plan, or any plan, that puts Washington bureaucrats between patients and the health care that they need and deserve. It is essential that Congress take the time to get this right to ensure that the doctor/patient relationship is protected, quality is ensured, and our system becomes more cost efficient.

In the days leading up to the vote, tens of thousands of people from across the country have traveled to Washington to protest this bill, echoing the thoughts of millions more. It is my fervent hope that the Senate will listen to them and fundamentally change this bill to make it more affordable, lower taxes, create more jobs, and prohibit the heavy hand of the federal government from reaching into the pockets of hard-working Americans.

Click here to see a condensed summary of Speaker Pelosi’s government takeover of health care.

Honoring our Veterans

This week, in the wake of the tragedy last week at Fort Hood, we reflect on the definition of what it is to serve. In the dictionary, the definition of serve is to answer the purpose. Millions of Americans, young and old, living and deceased, have answered the purpose to protect our everyday freedoms and defend safety on American soil. It is a selfless call that only the best of us will answer.

Veterans Day is a proud day for the United States. November 11th is a day of reflection; a day for each and every one of us to express our appreciation for the over 25 million Americans that have sacrificed to serve our nation.

Throughout our nation’s history, we have been blessed to have soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen willing and ready to answer the call of duty.  Regardless of the hardships they endured or the personal sacrifices they had to make, these men and women selflessly answered the call to arms.  Whether they served during war or peacetime, on active duty or in the Reserves, on the home front or abroad, these patriots all deserve our respect and gratitude.  The pride and perseverance of our men and women in uniform is reflected in every generation of veterans, from World War I to the current service members engaged in fighting in the Global War against Islamic Jihadists.

So this week, in addition to thanking our veterans for their service, I call upon every American to express their respect and gratitude to our veterans and current members of the armed forces. Please give thanks for their commitment and their sacrifices, and for the protection of freedom that we all enjoy.  Above all, we must give thanks that our nation has brave patriots that are willing to answer the call to duty.