[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the house for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, today we have a golden opportunity to pass 
health care reform which, in fact, will be a first step to improving 
the lives of hard-working Americans. People that I hear from every day 
in my community say to me they are scared to death that, if they change 
their jobs, they will lose their health care or, if they or their 
children have had an illness which they have managed to survive, that 
in fact insurance companies will deny them insurance because of a 
preexisting condition.
  The piece of legislation that we talk about today, a bipartisan piece 
of legislation, can help begin to change that fact in the lives of 
working families today. What is stopping this event? The Republican 
leadership has decided to load this up with special goodies for their 
special interests.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just quote the Washington Times. Do not take my 
word for it. The Washington Times, not a liberal newspaper, says that 
riders imperil health reforms. That is what this is about.
  My Republican colleague of the Committee on Commerce, Mr. Bliley, the 
chairman, said yesterday, and I quote, ``The more you load the wagon, 
the heavier it is to move.''
  Do not let them pass this bill with these riders. It will end health 
care for working families in this country.

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