[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 24, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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

 
          EMPLOYER MANDATE BLOCKING RESOLUTION OF HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. HASTERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HASTERT. Madam Speaker, one of the big issues that has blocked 
the resolution of health care in this body up to this point is whether 
or not we have an employer mandate. An employer mandate really is 
onerous on those businesses, those small businesses, mom and pop 
businesses, businesses usually under five employees. It is not that 
those companies do not want to buy health care, but they cannot afford 
it when they go to the market and it costs 5 or $6,000 per employee to 
buy that type of insurance. But in some health care bills that are 
coming before this Congress they are mandated to do it. In essence we 
are saying, ``Either you buy insurance and lose your job, or you have 
insurance and you don't have a job.'' What we are saying is there ought 
to be a vote on this floor, whatever health care bill comes to town, to 
do away with the employer mandate.
  Madam Speaker, I say to my colleagues, ``You can help that happen on 
a bipartisan basis. Sign on to House Resolution 242 to ask for a vote 
on this floor on whether or not we have an employer mandate.''

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