[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 13 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  Mr. BOND. I rise this morning to address once again the subject of 
health care. I am very encouraged when I read in the morning paper that 
President Clinton is quoted as saying that the time has come to move 
forward on compromise, to move toward achieving what all Americans, or 
at least a very significant number of Americans want, and that is 
significant reform in our health care.
  When I got to work today, I was distressed to find that the 
Democratic National Committee has gone on the air with attack ads, 
attacking not the substance of the argument but attacking Republicans. 
I would offer for the Record the tag line of this commercial. First, 
the ad takes out of context quotes from several Republican leaders and 
then their conclusion is:

       The Republicans, first they said there was no recession. 
     Now they say there is no health care crisis. They just don't 
     get it.

  Now, Mr. President, that is demeaning and debasing the debate. I have 
talked to and worked with my colleagues on the Democratic side of the 
aisle who know that we have to come together if we are going to get 
meaningful health care reform.
  I have traveled around the country with Senator Rockefeller. I have 
gone to Massachusetts with Senator Kennedy. We know we have some strong 
differences over particular methods of getting to the goal we seek. We 
ought to have the decency not to call each other names when we disagree 
with particular policy prescriptions.
  I believe that there can be widespread bipartisan agreement, that we 
need to do some things about the health care system in this country. I 
am a strong believer. I have worked hard to see that we get there.
  Perhaps the President is concerned because the CBO figures that have 
just come out show his health care plan would significantly increase 
the deficit. In 1993, he claimed that the deficit would come down to 
just above $120 billion with his health care reforms. We know that the 
deficit, without reform, would go above $220 billion by the year 2000 
without any reform. CBO now said that the deficit will go even higher, 
almost to $240 billion.
  Clearly, there is some panic because the process of the programs 
outlined in the Clinton plan do not work. Let us work together to fix 
them. Half of the Republicans in this body have signed on to a plan 
that will, in my opinion, achieve the goals the President has set 
forth. It is time to work together cooperatively, on a bipartisan 
basis, which is the only way we are going to get meaningful health care 
reform and stop calling each other names.
  Mr. President, I suggest that we have heard enough talk about the 
need for compromise. I am from Missouri: Show me. If the President is 
serious about reforming health care and not making a partisan political 
issue of it, I call upon him to direct the Democratic National 
Committee to withdraw the ads. Let us get back to talking about how we 
can make the program work and stop calling each other names.

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