    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [August 2, 1994]
    [Page 1414]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1414]]

    Statement on Senate Action on Health Care Reform Legislation
    August 2, 1994

        The bill unveiled by Senator Mitchell achieves what the American
    people want, health coverage that can never be taken away. The bill
    provides health security for hard-working middle class Americans who
    deserve nothing less. And it places a high priority on covering the
    Nation's precious resource, our children. I applaud the majority leader
    and the Members of the Senate who have been working diligently to bring
    a bill to the floor that works for ordinary Americans.
        The Senate bill provides for universal coverage, enables Americans
    to keep their current insurance and their doctor, maintains quality
    health care, and provides greater opportunity to keep health coverage
    affordable. It builds on the current system of shared responsibility
    which we already know works.
        We have made tremendous progress. The Senate and House are poised to
    vote for legislation that covers every American for the first time in
    our Nation's history. We have come this far, and we must not turn back
    now. If Congress fails to achieve universal coverage, if hard-working
    middle class Americans are left out in the cold, and if costs are not
    controlled, that's simply unacceptable.
        The House and Senate will soon begin this debate, a debate that will
    engage every American family concerned about their health security.
    While differences in the House and Senate bills will be worked out as
    the legislative process moves forward, achieving universal coverage
    remains the critical goal. During the course of this historic floor
    debate, there will be those who say that reaching universal coverage is
    not necessary. To those people I say: Let the debate begin. Those of us
    who are fighting for universal coverage are fighting for middle class
    Americans. This is a debate that we must win and that we will win.