[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 26 (Thursday, March 10, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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

 
            DON'T BYPASS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ON HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, amid all the speeches about the need to 
have Democrats and Republicans work together on a bipartisan and 
cooperative manner on health care, comes the pronouncement for the 
committee on Energy and Commerce that it intends to bypass subcommittee 
markup on this issue and go directly to full committee on the 
President's health care bill.
  Mr. Speaker, this is yet another move to push the President's 
legislation through without full and open debate. Why is the normal 
legislative process being undermined in this instance?
  We have been told that due to time constraints we will not adhere to 
the normal legislative process. However, the magnitude of this 
legislation demands that it go through the entire legislative process 
that is, subcommittees and then full committees prior to being 
considered on the House floor.
  It is imperative that all members participate in the process as we 
move ahead. It is incumbent upon the leadership, including the chairmen 
of the various committees involved, that this occurs. I have advised 
the Energy and Commerce Committee about my desire to see a full 
legislative review of this issue. I reiterate here again today that the 
need still exists.
  There is nothing to fear from full debate and participation on health 
care, only a better bill for all Americans can result.

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