[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24143]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 2, 2003

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Ms. Speaker, due to a scheduling conflict on September 
25th, I was unable to vote on rollcall vote 522 and 523.
  Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote 522, 
the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 1, the Medicare Prescription 
Drug and Modernization Act. It is vitally important that the Medicare 
Conferees accept the Senate-passed provisions requiring a federal 
``fallback'' prescription drug benefit; agree to the best provisions 
improving Medicare payments to health care providers in rural areas; 
and reject the cut in payments to hospitals in the House bill which 
will adversely affect hospitals in rural areas.
  I would also have voted ``yes'' on rollcall 523, the Motion to 
Instruct Conferees on H.R. 1588, the Defense Authorization Act. At a 
time when we are asking more from our Reservists and National Guard 
than ever before, it is only fair that we provide these heroic women 
and men with the proper health care they need to care for themselves 
and their families. I will continue to support efforts toward a strong 
health care system for all our military women and men, and I encourage 
my colleagues to do the same.

                          ____________________