[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 26 (Thursday, March 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
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]

 
                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I think that the momentum in health care 
reform is changing. You can feel the difference.
  Our subcommittee this week is actually marking up legislation 
guaranteeing every American health coverage. Senate committees are 
holding hearings almost every day. The House and Senate leadership are 
talking about going to the floor around Memorial Day and beginning the 
real debate, not the debate that goes on before the TV cameras, not the 
debate that goes on in the talk shows, not the debate that goes on in 
the press releases, but the real debate so the American public will 
find out how we are going to vote, and with that come to the issue of 
not if Congress is going to act but when. It means every one of us will 
actually have to stand up and be counted. That is because of the 
President's leadership, because he has forced this forward so we will 
stand up.
  There will be a lot of give and take in it, but there is one part of 
this health care issue that is nonnegotiable. If we send a bill to the 
President that we want signed, it has to guarantee every American 
health coverage. The President insists on that. I support him in that. 
The vast majority of Americans support him in that. The question, of 
course, is how do you do it?
  Some have suggested Congress increase taxes and let the Federal 
Government pay for health care. Others have proposed a mandate on every 
individual to buy health insurance. Of course, both options will be a 
major change in the way we receive our medical care. Currently, two-
thirds of all nonelderly Americans get their health care through the 
workplace. That is why the President chose a third, and I think least 
disruptive, option--building on the current employer-employee system 
because it already works so well for so many Americans.
  Back home, in my State of Vermont, our State legislature is having 
its own debate on health care. A very similar package is taking shape. 
Last week, a special committee of the Vermont House voted 10 to 1 for a 
universal health coverage bill, requiring employers and employees to 
share the cost of health insurance.
  Basically, what happens is in almost every workplace where there is 
health insurance, it requires employers to pay 70 percent of the 
premiums, and it provides subsidies for small businesses with low-
income families to shoulder the cost.
  The Vermont special committee looked at all three options, and they 
chose the one closest to the President. It made the most sense, and our 
Governor, who is a practicing physician, Howard Dean, pointed out that 
it is the only approach that could command support of both Republicans 
and Democrats.
  This kind of workplace health benefit is gaining ground around the 
country as well. Yesterday, Senator Daschle, who has done such 
tremendous work in keeping this debate going forward, released a letter 
signed by 110 national organizations, businesses, and unions supporting 
an employer mandate as a ``fair, effective and practical means for 
achieving coverage.''
  Fair because it ends the cost-shifting going on right now when the 
majority of employers who provide health coverage for their workers pay 
for those employers who do not.
  Effective, of course, because it gets us to universal coverage.
  And practical because it is the least disruptive way.
  If health care is going to pass this year, we should keep the 
momentum going and pass it.
  I might suggest, Mr. President, that one way to keep the momentum 
going is to vote on S. 4 now and get this off the legislative calendar 
so we can go forward. Every single Senator knows how he or she would 
vote if we are going to have a final vote on this bill.
  The distinguished chairman has worked extremely hard in the beginning 
of this Congress to bring this legislation before us. I cannot believe 
there is anybody in this Chamber who does not know how he or she would 
vote if we were approaching final passage. The American people have to 
wonder why the delay. We ought to be able to go forward, and I commend 
the distinguished Senator from South Carolina for his leadership.
  I yield the floor.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona, Mr. [DeConcini], is 
recognized.
  Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, I will yield to the Senator from South 
Carolina.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. I thank the distinguished Senator. I thank my 
distinguished colleague from Vermont. He is a leader, not only on 
agricultural matters, but particularly with respect to foreign 
operations. I watched his work in the Appropriations Committee. He had 
a conference at the policy level with respect to health care, and we 
are mightily impressed with what Vermont is doing. I appreciate his 
bringing it to the floor. I thank him.
  Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, I join the Senator from Vermont in 
reference to his remarks to the distinguished chairman of the Commerce 
Committee, the Senator from South Carolina.

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