[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 104 (Tuesday, August 2, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1130
 
             PRESENT HEALTH CARE PLAN TO CONSTITUENTS FIRST

  (Mr. ROTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include extraneous 
material.)
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, what Congress does on health care will affect 
every man, woman, and child in America. One out of every seven dollars 
of our national economy goes to health care. Next week we are told we 
will begin debate on the health care legislation. This bill is hundreds 
of pages long. According to news reports, we are going to be asked to 
vote on this bill the same week.
  This would not be in the best interests of the American people. 
Before we vote on the health care bill, we must call a recess and let 
each Congressman go home and, like an insurance agent, explain this 
plan to the people. After all, what Congress is really doing is 
ordering an insurance plan for the American people. Do the people not 
have a right to know what is in the plan? Is it not our responsibility 
to let the people have their say?
  Therefore, I ask that Congress call a recess just before the final 
vote, so that each Member can go home and explain this plan to his or 
her constituents and get their approval.
  The people have a right to know what is in the bill, the people have 
a right to be heard, and we in Congress have an obligation to listen to 
the people, especially on national health care, which will affect every 
man, woman, and child in America.

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