[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 67 (Thursday, May 13, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H2923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COVER THE UNINSURED AND SUPPORT KIND SUBSTITUTE

  (Mr. ROSS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, as the Congress and the country mark Cover the 
Uninsured Week, I add my voice to those who are ready to do something 
meaningful about the problem of the uninsured.
  Nearly 80 percent of the uninsured are the working poor, and often 
work in small businesses. They have jobs and are trying to do the right 
thing, but they cannot afford an insurance policy for themselves or for 
their families.
  My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that association 
health plans are the answer, but more than 500 organizations 
representing millions of people oppose these plans, association health 
plans, because they know that they will compound the problem by 
creating an unlevel playing field that will likely lead to cherry-
picking, adverse selection, and yes, increased costs for sicker 
individuals.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Kind substitute, which will 
provide a tax credit to businesses that will pay for 50 percent of the 
premium for health insurance for their employees.

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