[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  CAMPAIGN MODE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, the White House and congressional Democrats 
are deep in campaign mode on health care. They are preoccupied with 
damage control in 1994 congressional elections and saving the Clinton 
Presidency in 1996. That is understandable if you look at the polls. 
Sunday's New York Times reports that Democrats view health care reform 
as a do-or-die issue. Chairman of the DCCC, Vic Fazio, says, ``Health 
care will be the key to the 1994 elections. It will play to our 
advantage only if we use every aspect of the debate to reinforce our 
key overall political/economic message.'' Maybe that is whey Democrats 
are meeting behind closed doors among themselves: They want to insure 
total control of this health care debate. But Americans want open 
debate and they want a bipartisan solution. They do not want what Mark 
Mellman, a Democratic strategist, is urging: ``What Members of Congress 
need to do is to say they are supporting universal coverage but will be 
different in significant ways.'' That is a quote from the New York 
Times of Sunday. That is doublespeak, it is talking out of both sides 
of your mouth, and it is a Democrat speaking.
  Mr. Speaker, we need open debate for all to see on health care. It is 
too important to do otherwise.

                          ____________________