[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 174 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  DIETARY SUPPLEMENT TAX FAIRNESS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 13, 2001

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday to be joining my 
colleague from Indiana, Mr. Burton, in introducing this important 
legislation that will help shift the focus of our healthcare system to 
wellness and disease prevention. This legislation is the House 
companion to the Harkin-Hatch Senate bill, S. 1330.
  Mr. Speaker, I have always been supportive of dietary supplements and 
the potential and promise they bring to our healthcare. I always 
participate in actively leading the effort for progressive reforms, 
like we did with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 
1994 (DSHEA). The prime significance of this simple legislation is that 
the Internal Revenue Code will be modified in order to allow health 
insurers to create benefits that would provide some coverage for 
dietary supplements for insurance beneficiaries. Health insurers will 
not be required to provide coverage under this legislation. However, 
they will be now in a position to do it in a way that will provide the 
tax benefits to both the consumer and the insurer.
  Unfortunately, the Internal Revenue Code is not consumer friendly 
when it comes to health wellness and prevention. And if we are ever 
going to take meaningful roads to promote good health, wellness, and 
disease prevention, the Tax Code needs to be examined and reformed. 
This legislation is enormously popular with consumers who continually 
ask their insurance companies to offer some coverage for these 
healthcare products. Without passage of this legislation, they will not 
be able to obtain this type of insurance and healthcare benefit.
  The low up-front cost of this coverage and the potential long-term 
savings they offer by assisting our country in staying healthy longer 
will indeed be a meaningful step to lowering and stabilizing our health 
care costs. This bipartisan legislation is an important part of 
realizing the requests of millions of Americans who want to enhance 
their healthcare. I look forward to working with my colleague for 
prompt and swift passage of this legislation.

                          ____________________