[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 40 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2562]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE PRESIDENTIAL VETO THREAT

  (Mr. GEKAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEKAS. Madam Speaker, the vicious, vindictive veto looms over the 
American people once again, this time threatening the lives and health 
of 8 million Americans who right at this moment, because of their 
health problems, have medical devices in their bodies, heart valves, 
pacemakers, brain shunts, a whole host of things, knee replacements, 
hip replacements. But the availability of these medical devices is 
threatened by the veto that the President has threatened to issue 
because of some quarrel that he has with other elements of the Trial 
Lawyers Association, et cetera.
  Now, the suppliers of these medical devices, elements of the medical 
devices, are going out of business, in many respects because they are 
being sued out of their existence. What we have tried to do with the 
measure that is about to be vetoed is to make sure that the suppliers 
will feel comfortable in sending these supplies for the medical devices 
to be made available to the American people.

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