[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 135 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H9522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REPUBLICAN HEALTH CARE REFORM IS A RUSE

  (Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), 
great Americans, for providing a great service to all of us on a 
managed care bill which I think will work. But there are Members of 
this House that are working against this consensus by introducing 
substitutes that in no way equal the comprehensive approach.
  We have heard a great deal of hysteria in the past few weeks about 
how Norwood/Dingell will expose our small business owners and employers 
of all shapes and sizes to massive new litigation threats.
  If my colleagues read the bill, and I would suggest that they read 
the bill, on page 99 it says very specifically in Section 302 that the 
bill ``does not authorize any cause of action against an employer, or 
other plan sponsor maintaining the group health plan, or against an 
employee of such an employer.''
  It is a ruse. They have provided a ruse. Why do they not tell the 
American people the truth instead of standing out there with the money 
changers as they were yesterday as we walked here to do business?

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