[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 138 (Wednesday, September 28, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      103D CONGRESS COULD DO MORE

  (Mr. GUNDERSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUNDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. 
Gephardt], the majority leader, ought to focus a little less on what 
the Republicans want to do in the next session of Congress and focus a 
lot more on what is not being done in this Congress. I do not care 
whether one is a Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, I 
think one of the great reasons the public is disgusted with this 
institution is because we cannot even agree on and implement those 
basic elements of health care reform essential to every American.
  There is not a person in this institution who does not agree that we 
ought to eliminate the preexisting condition barrier to insurance 
coverage. There is not a person in this institution who does not 
believe we ought to give 100 percent deductibility to farmers and self-
employed and individuals who purchase their own insurance.
  Yet, for partisan posturing and other reasons, we see an all-or-
nothing mentality. And while we argue, the people are suffering.
  I have numerous farm families in my district paying $600 to $800 a 
month for health insurance and, because of a preexisting condition, 
they cannot switch policies. And because we do not give them 100 
percent deductibility, they had held out hope this year that we would 
change things so that they could do something different next year.
  Now it looks like the Congress is going to disregard these, our 
constituents, with whom we were elected to serve.

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