[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 84 (Wednesday, June 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (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, a few weeks ago I received a letter from a 
woman in Iowa. She was kicked out of the hospital less than 24 hours 
after undergoing breast cancer surgery, only to go home in pain and to 
develop painful infections.
  She remarked in her letter how her family dog broke his leg and they 
took him to the vet. The veterinarian kept the dog for four days. She 
writes, and I quote, ``A dog receives better health care than a 
woman.'' She is right, and it is a disgrace.
  My bill to provide breast cancer patients with 48 hours in the 
hospital has been included in the Democratic Patients' Bill of Rights. 
But the Republican leadership refuses to bring this bill to the floor 
of the House for a vote.
  The GOP seems to be more concerned with protecting the profits of the 
health insurance industry than protecting the quality of health care 
for American families. Our pets should not be getting better health 
care than our families.
  It is time to pass the Patients' Bill of Rights.

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