[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 46 (Friday, March 29, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HEALTH COVERAGE AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY ACT OF 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 28, 1996

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Kennedy-
Kassebaum substitute to be offered by the Democratic leader, and in 
opposition to the bill as a whole. Unfortunately, radical members of 
the majority conference have hijacked this bill and turned it into a 
special-interest Christmas tree, which could very well jeopardize its 
passage in the Congress.
  Health insurance reform is long past due. Millions of Americans are 
still routinely denied health care coverage because of preexisting 
conditions. Some are forced to remain in stagnant jobs and turn down 
promotions or other job opportunities in order to insure the 
continuation of their employer-sponsored health care benefits.
  The Senate has introduced legislation with wide bipartisan support to 
address the issue of portability of insurance. That legislation, the 
Kassebaum-Kennedy bill, ensures health insurance portability when 
individuals move from one employer to another. President Clinton voiced 
his support for this legislation during his State of the Union Address. 
In the House of Representatives, my colleague, Representative Roukema 
has introduced similar legislation, and 192 of my colleagues have 
joined me in cosponsoring Representative Roukema's legislation.
  With the broad bipartisan support of this health insurance reform, it 
is a disgrace that the Republican leadership has sabotaged the 
enactment of this legislation by adding controversial provisions to the 
bill. Some Members in the Senate have suggested these provisions may 
end the chances of passage of this legislation, which is why I will 
vote for the Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema substitute and against final 
passage. This issue is too important to let partisan politics 
jeopardize the health care of the American people. We have waited for 
too long. The time is now to pass and enact a clean health insurance 
reform bill that will assure the portability of health insurance when 
individuals change jobs.

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