[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 107 (Friday, August 5, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE: A LOGICAL SCHEDULE

  (Mr. HOEKSTRA asked and was a given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the majority leader outlined a 
timeline for debating what may be the most important legislation that 
we have dealt with in Congress in a generation. Incredibly, the 
leadership apparently wants us to debate and vote on this important 
issue without being able to examine the proposed legislation in any 
depth, and without being able to discuss the legislation in any depth, 
and without being able to discuss the legislation with our 
constituents.
  My question is: What is the hurry? We still have plenty of time left 
in this Congress to deal with this issue in a responsible fashion. In 
fact, I and many of my freshman colleagues today will hold a press 
conference outlining a schedule that allows us to review these bills 
next week, to go home and review the materials with our constituents, 
and then come back and debate and vote on this legislation in 
September.
  The President last night began a series of nightly television ads. 
The Cabinet is being mobilized to go to the American people. But 
Congress will be held hostage. We will be forced to vote before we can 
ever discuss these materials and this issue with our constituents.
  Please, do not hold elected Representatives of the American people 
hostage during the health care debate.

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