[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, the phones are ringing off the hook in my 
office today--and I suspect that is true of all Senate offices, as the 
American people call in to register their opinions on health care.
  And their opinions is pretty clear. They do not like Senator 
Mitchell's bill. They do not like Government-run health care. And they 
want Congress to be very very careful before trading in the best health 
care delivery system in the world for something else.
  When I last checked, my office had received about 160 calls on health 
care today. One hundred and thirty-five of them said that they either 
opposed the Mitchell bill and that we should take our time; 25 
expressed support for the Mitchell bill--that is about a 6-1 ratio.
  And according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released this evening, 
those numbers are part of a nationwide consensus. Let me just mention a 
few interesting results from the poll.
  Sixty-eight percent of Americans believe that Congress should reform 
health care gradually over a number of years. Only 28 percent believe 
we should pass a comprehensive bill this year.
  By a 2 to 1 ration--53 to 26 percent, Americans trust Congress rather 
than President Clinton to do a better job at reforming health care.
  Fifty-nine percent believe that the bills currently before Congress 
are the same thing as President Clinton's failed proposal. Only 20 
percent believe they are different.
  The survey also asked Americans whether they were more concerned that 
Congress would pass a bill with too much Government, or more concerned 
that Congress would pass a bill that did not contain universal 
coverage. The results were 53 percent too much Government, 40 percent 
no universal care.
  Finally, the survey asked Americans whether they believe they would 
be worse off if Congress passed a bill, or worse off if Congress didn't 
pass a bill.
  Fifty-four percent said they would be worse off if Congress passed a 
bill. Only 30 percent said they would be worse off if Congress didn't 
pass a bill.
  Mr. President. The American people are speaking. I only hope that 
Congress is listening.

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