[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 111 (Thursday, August 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1840
 
          CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND HEALTH CARE REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lehman). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Washington [Mr. Kreidler] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. KREIDLER. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we passed the Congressional 
Accountability Act, which brings Congress under the same regulations as 
other employers. We also voted to add health care reform to the list of 
laws--so that whatever health care reform we pass will apply to 
Congress too.
  This wouldn't have happened without pressure from those of us in the 
freshman class. We know that Congress ought to play by the same rules 
as everyone else. There's no excuse for letting Congress off the hook 
for the laws we pass.
  It's about time. Congress enacted the Fair Labor Standards Act in 
1938, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Occupational Safety and Health 
Act of 1970, the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. These are 
good laws, and all other Americans are supposed to follow them. Now 
Congress will too.
  Next week we will decide whether every American family deserves the 
same kind of health coverage we and our families have. Members of 
Congress don't have a special health plan--we have the same plan as 
other federal employees. Members of Congress don't get free health 
care--we pay for part of our premiums just like other federal 
employees.
  But there's no question that we have a good deal--shared 
responsibility, security, choice, and quality. And I think every 
American ought to get just as good a deal.
  But some of the people on this floor don't agree with that. They 
don't want to guarantee health security for everyone. They think that 
means too much Government. They think health care reform is too tough, 
too hard, too complicated to pass. They're afraid of making the real 
decisions on this issue. But in my State of Washington we've already 
done this, and I'm here to tell you, if my State has the guts to 
confront this issue, then we ought to be able to do it here.
  So I hope people who don't want reform this year, who don't think we 
need it, who think we ought to wait--I hope they'll be the first to 
volunteer to give up their health security, right after they vote to 
take it away from others.
  I don't plan to vote that way.
  I plan to vote for the Guaranteed Health Insurance Act, because it 
does what the American people want and deserve: Health security for 
everybody. Keeping the cost of care from spiraling out of control. 
Guaranteed choice of health plans and doctors. Maintaining the high 
quality of care in America. Keeping health insurance in the private 
marketplace. Letting states like Washington move forward with their own 
plans.
  I hope my colleagues who don't share those goals will be the first to 
step forward and give up their health security.

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