[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5967]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CALLING UPON HOUSE LEADERSHIP TO BRING FORWARD FOR DEBATE THE PATIENTS' 
                             BILL OF RIGHTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for until 9:50 a.m.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, this morning a hearing is being held by 
the Democratic Health Care Task Force on the critical issue of managed 
health care. We are going to hear this morning from families across the 
country who have been denied care, who have had very difficult 
situations occur because they have not had the opportunity to receive 
the care their doctor recommended because they are in a managed care 
system. We are going to hear from small businesspeople. We are going to 
hear from other Americans speaking out.
  I only wish that we were doing this within the regular committee 
structure. I would call upon the House leadership this morning to bring 
forward the Patients' Bill of Rights, the comprehensive bill to protect 
American families, to bring it to a full hearing, to bring it to this 
House for a vote, because it is absolutely critical that in this day 
and age, when we have the best health care in the world, that we make 
sure our families can truly receive that care when in fact it is 
recommended by their physician or other health care provider.
  What we are talking about today is a basic set of principles that 
will allow us as Americans to be sure that the quality of care that is 
available in this country is truly available to each of us. I would 
urge strongly that the leadership take this bill up immediately.

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