[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 26, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: January 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        TIME TO PUT THE EMPHASIS ON CRIME AND HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last night President Clinton 
outlined his plans for this Congress, and in doing so he brought the 
demands of the American people to this body for action. During this 
past year, we cut the deficit growth and kept interest rates low. It is 
time we put that same emphasis on the problems of crime control and 
health care reform.
  The President should be congratulated for his proposal to put repeat 
criminal offenders away for good. This is a real first step toward 
taking our streets back, and I hope that my colleagues from both sides 
of the aisle will work together to make this plan a reality.
  Aside from crime control we must also begin to look past the rhetoric 
and enact meaningful health care reform for all Americans. Health care 
reform will mean stability for American families as well as our 
economy. The rising cost of health care is crippling the ability of 
American companies to compete and inaction by this body can no longer 
be excused.
  Over the last several days we have been preoccupied with the 
retirement announcements that various Members have made, so I ask you 
to consider the retirement prospects of the typical American worker who 
faces a stagnant retirement income that is constantly eroded by the 
rising cost of prescription drugs and increasing Medicare premiums. The 
uncertainty this retiree faces is unnecessary and avoidable if we do 
right by our senior citizens during our deliberations on health care 
reform.
  The President's plans are ambitious and far-reaching and this body 
has a chance to give the American people safe streets and sound health 
care by acting on them without delay.

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