[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  (Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker, today, the House will begin 
consideration of the Health Coverage Availability Act. As we embark on 
this very important discussion, I would like to urge my colleagues on 
the other side of the aisle not to pass up on what is a truly golden 
opportunity to advance realistic, bipartisan health care reform 
legislation.
  History has shown us that past efforts to tackle this issue have 
failed largely because they tried to accomplish too much. 
Unfortunately, by giving in to special interest groups, the majority 
seems to be headed down that same path once again.
  Let's keep things simple. The Roukema-Kassebaum-Kennedy [RKK] bill is 
a sound piece of legislation that has broad bipartisan support. By 
helping millions of Americans keep their health insurance when they 
switch jobs, regardless of their health condition, it provides a much 
needed and relatively noncontroversial solution that a vast majority of 
the Members of this Chamber can agree on.
  The demands of the moment require both Democrats and Republicans to 
unite behind the RKK bill if there is to be any realistic possibility 
for health reform during this Congress. Let us pass RKK now. The other 
issues can be worked out separately and moved separately.

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