[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
     ONE VOTE STRATEGY FOR HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION IS IRRESPONSIBLE

  (Mr. BOEHNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, when the Founders of our 
country envisioned our Congress, they designed a Congress that would 
not act hastily. They designed a Congress where it was large enough so 
that a consensus would have to develop before the Congress would move 
to act to implement laws. When we put Social Security into place, it 
passed with a 3-to-1 majority because a consensus had developed in the 
country and in the Congress that Social Security was necessary. When we 
had Medicare debated, it passed by a 2-to-1 majority in each of the 
Houses because a consensus had developed it was time to do something 
about older Americans.
  As I stand here today, Mr. Speaker, we are looking at rushing through 
health care legislation on a one vote strategy in the House and Senate. 
The most massive undertaking by Government in the history of our 
country, and we are going to try to do it in a very partisan way, 
looking for just that one vote to get us to a majority.
  Mr. Speaker, this is not responsible. This is why the American people 
look to Congress and are disillusioned with the process that they see.

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