[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           EMPLOYER MANDATES

  (Ms. PRYCE of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, President Clinton has often spoken 
of the need to help small businesses in America. He has noted, rightly, 
that small businesses create most of the news jobs in our economy. What 
he does not seem to have noticed is what small business owners are 
saying about his health care plan.
  Like a doctor starting an operation without asking the patient where 
it hurts, the Clinton plan seeks to impose employer mandates without 
consulting those who would have to pay for them.
  A recent survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that an 
overwhelming three out of four small business owners strongly oppose a 
Federal mandate requiring them to provide health care for their 
employees.
  Mr. Speaker, when a ship is slowly sinking the last thing you want to 
do is load on more cargo. American small businesses are foundering 
because the Federal Government has loaded them up with so many taxes, 
regulations, and mandates that they are dead in the competitive water.
  It may be too much to hope that the Clinton administration might give 
small business a break by easing regulation or lowering taxes. But at 
least the administration can avoid making things worse.
  Employer mandates are job-killers, Mr. Speaker. Let us listen to our 
patients before we put them under the knife.

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