[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 102 (Friday, July 29, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  MANDATES ARE A TAX BY ANY OTHER NAME

  (Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Madam Speaker, recent press reports indicate that 
Democrat leaders are continuing to advocate the idea of an 80:20, 
employer-employee contribution to fund their as yet unseen health care 
reform proposal.
  They just do not get it. Mandates at 50 percent, 80 percent or even 
100 percent are a tax that employers will pass onto their customers and 
their employees. And those lost dollars that employers cannot realize 
from someone else will force them to reduce their work forces.
  Translation: Bad news for the American economy.
  Would it not be ironic if my colleagues, who are in so much of a 
hurry to throw any sort of health care reform package together, ended 
up passing a measure that crippled one-seventh of our economy.
  Madam Speaker, none of us here want to be remembered for reckless 
reform measures that polarized our economy, sapped the economy spirit 
of small business people and stalled the economy back into recession.
  We need to accomplish meaningful health care reform that helps all 
Americans, not just the political objectives of a few select 
individuals.
  Let us slow down the process, and make sure all the numbers and 
percentages are right. Reform of our health care delivery system does 
not need haphazard mandates--it needs calm, rational legislation.

                          ____________________