[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     URGING SUPPORT FOR THE ROUKEMA HEALTH CARE REFORM LEGISLATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone] is recognized 
during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last week over 150 Democrats signed a 
letter of support for positive health care reform legislation sponsored 
by the Republican congresswoman, the gentlewoman from New Jersey, Marge 
Roukema. Her bill is similar to the Kennedy-Kassebaum legislation that 
has been introduced in the Senate, and has gained wide bipartisan 
support. In fact, Senator Kassebaum already has a commitment to bring 
up her bill in mid-April, and a number of health care organizations, 
providers, including the American Medical Association, have signed on 
and said that this is a good bill.
  Essentially that we have now is bipartisan support, both Democrats 
and Republicans, both House and Senate Members, and the President of 
the United States, President Clinton, who said that if this bill comes 
to his desk he will sign it.
  The Roukema bill essentially would ensure that Americans will no 
longer have their health coverage denied or limited because of so-
called preexisting conditions The bill also helps people keep their 
health coverage if they get sick, lose their jobs, or change jobs. This 
is a bill that could pass the House of Representatives if the 
Republican leadership in this House would only let it come to the 
floor.
  In fact, it is now my understanding that the House Republican 
leadership, under Speaker Gingrich, is taking a different tack and 
plans on introducing health care legislation that includes 
controversial provisions to pander to various special interest groups. 
In other words, instead of letting the Roukema or Kennedy-Kassebaum 
bill come to the floor with everybody's support and have it signed by 
the President, they are now going to bring in another bill loaded with 
all kinds of special interests, special interest provisions; for 
example, increasing tax-free medical savings accounts, limiting 
malpractice awards, a number of things that are very controversial and 
that would prevent any kind of health insurance reform from passing 
this House and being signed into law.
  I just wanted to mention one of the provisions that Gingrich and the 
Republicans have talked about, and this is the Medical Savings 
Accounts, or MSA's. The Speaker tried to include MSA's when they are 
trying to cut Medicare last year, and now they are trying to insert 
this untested idea into the health care reform bill, which would 
provide a financial windfall for the Golden Rule Insurance Company, 
whose top executive has given Republican political committees excessive 
contributions in the past few years.
  During the Medicare debate it was found that the MSA would cost 
Medicaid an additional $3 billion. How can the Republican leadership 
believe they can try to pass this in health care reform? It is not a 
reform; it is actually catering to special interests. In the end it 
means health care costs will increase for the average working family.
  Serious health care reform was attempted 3 years ago and failed 
because Congress tried to overhaul the whole system with one piece of 
legislation. I would maintain that the lesson from that experience is 
Congress needs to take a step-by-step approach to decrease the number 
of uninsured Americans. I think that is what we would accomplish in a 
small, modest way with the Roukema bill.
  Again, however, the Republican leadership does not really want health 
care reform. If they did, then they would not be loading up a bill that 
benefits the special interests over the uninsured. If they wanted 
health care reform, why did they bring up this illustrious Contract 
With America last year?
  Essentially what we are seeing here is the same old Republican 
leadership games. There is bipartisan support for the Kennedy-Kassebaum 
Senate bill. One hundred and thirty respected business groups, 
insurance groups, and health care providers have endorsed it. The House 
version, sponsored by the gentlewoman from New Jersey [Mrs. Roukema], a 
Republican, has bipartisan support and will reduce the number of 
uninsured by millions. It is a positive step that will help working 
families by increasing portability and eliminate preexisting 
conditions.
  If the Republican leadership truly wanted health care reform, they 
should consider using the Roukema legislation as the vehicle for it. It 
is irresponsible to try to please all the special interests when 
Congress can be working together to reduce the number of uninsured 
Americans.
  What I am simply saying, Mr. Speaker, is this: We know that the 
Roukema bill can pass and address the issue of preexisting conditions 
and portability. Let us bring it to the Committee on Commerce, let us 
bring it to the floor. Let us not load it up with all these other 
things that will make it impossible for it to pass. I think it is 
incumbent upon the Republican leadership to allow this bill to come out 
and be considered in a simple form, rather than this new grab-bag 
package that they are now proposing to introduce and bring before 
various congressional committees.

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