[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             THIS ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO PLAY BY THE RULES

  (Mr. CLINGER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, beginning as early as February 1, 1993, I 
have tried to no avail to get the President's health care task force to 
comply with Federal sunshine laws and conflict of interest statutes. It 
has now been alleged in Federal court that the task force may have 
blatantly disregarded these statutes and, as a result, misled Congress 
and given false statements in court. These actions, if true, reaffirm 
my suspicions that this is a cavalier administration which does not 
think it has to play by the rules.
  Court documents stating that dozens of unidentified people working on 
the task force in secret where at the same time on the payroll of 
private organizations with a stake in the outcome of the health care 
reform debate is more troubling news for the President's health care 
reform proposal. The suggestion that a multitude of previously 
undisclosed special interests were deeply involved in shaping a public 
policy proposal which may ultimately affect each and every one of our 
constituents calls into question the integrity of the administration's 
proposal. In some cases, the court documents allege that not only were 
privately paid individuals on the task force but also that in addition, 
task force members identified as congressional staff were in fact 
private individuals on the payroll of the Robert Wood Johnson 
Foundation.
  It is my view that there are enough serious questions raised by this 
court filing, and the supporting documentation, to consider convening 
congressional hearings sooner rather than later. The proliferation of 
unaccountable outsiders and special interests setting policy within 
this administration must be reviewed by Congress.

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