[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H6433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ENDING HEALTH CARE REFORM GRIDLOCK

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, the American people have two 
major concerns about their health care insurance. One is can they 
afford it; and, second, will they be able to take it with them when 
they have to move from one job to another?
  First, the good news. A bipartisan majority in the House and the 
Senate supports passage of the Health Coverage Availability and 
Affordability Act, which addresses both of these problems. Now the bad 
news. One Member from the other side of the aisle in the other body is 
standing in the way because of his opposition to providing more 
Americans the option of choosing a medical savings account, or MSA, for 
their health insurance.
  Dozens of companies and thousands of employees around the country 
have MSAs. They love MSA's for three reasons. MSA's give employees 
control over how their health care dollars are spent and make them 
careful but satisfied shoppers.

                              {time}  1415


                announcement by the speaker pro tempore

  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, I thought the Chair had said that we 
could not impugn motives to Members of the other body.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weller). The gentlewoman is correct. The 
Chair was attempting to ask the gentleman to suspend.
  The Chair would ask that Members refrain from disparaging remarks 
about Members of the other body.
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned no specific Member 
of the other body.
  Mr. Speaker, dozens of companies and thousands of employees around 
the country have MSA's. They love MSA's for three reasons: MSA's give 
employees control over how their health care dollars are spent and make 
them careful but satisfied shoppers. They provide them freedom from 
worry by eliminating out-of-pocket costs for those with chronic or 
catastrophic illnesses. MSA's save money for employees and for the 
companies. Americans want this kind of health care coverage. We should 
move to make it possible for them.

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