[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 95 (Wednesday, July 20, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  FLEXIBLE TO THE POINT OF CONTORTION

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today's Washington Post headline 
reads ``President Signals Health Flexibility.'' You would think by now 
that the President's flexibility would hardly be news.
  This administration has taken flexibility to the level of contortion 
in every other policy area. Now it seems that even the President's 
primary policy initiative can join the rest on the back of a milk 
carton with a caption ``Have You Seen This Policy?''
  What is the President saying with his new flexibility? He is now 
saying that ``universal'' will mean less than everyone.
  President Clinton now admits that 95 percent is his coverage goal. 
However, he is still saying he is willing to rip up America's entire 
health care system. That means the 85 percent of Americans who have 
coverage they like will be sacrificed on the altar of a big government 
program for the ostensible purpose of maybe covering 10 percent more.
  The most logical way to improve the Nation's health care would be to 
help the 10 percent, not endanger the 85 percent, unless your real goal 
is something else.
  President Clinton's new health policy still owes more to ideology 
than flexibility; the only difference now is that it is more evident.

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