E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1996 No. 95 House of Representatives The House met at 10:30 a.m. and was floor in a wheelchair, but he was abso- is New Jersey's largest circulation called to order by the Speaker. lutely, totally dedicated to serving. He daily, which essentially addressed the f loved this House. He loved the process issue of health insurance reform as of dealing with issues and problems and well as medical savings accounts and MORNING BUSINESS helping people, and he loved the inter- pointed out how significant this legis- The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the action between human beings. lation is in terms of providing addi- order of the House of May 12, 1995, the I think all of us are a little poorer tional health insurance for many Chair will now recognize Members from and all of us in the House I think on Americans who lose their health insur- lists submitted by the majority and both sides of the aisle are certainly a ance when they lose a job or because of minority leaders for morning hour de- little sadder at the loss of this fine, a prior medical condition. bates. The Chair will alternate recogni- wonderful gentleman who passed away The editorial also details to some ex- tion between the parties, with each over the weekend. I simply wanted to tent, I would say, why we should not party limited to not to exceed 30 min- share with the House those thoughts on include medical savings accounts if we utes, and each Member except the ma- behalf I think of all the Members of the ever want to see health insurance re- jority and minority leaders limited to House. form and to see more Americans cov- not to exceed 5 minutes. f ered by health insurance. So Mr. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to read, if I TIME TO PASS HEALTH could, some relevant sections of this FOLEY). The Chair recognizes the gen- INSURANCE REFORM tleman from Georgia [Mr. GINGRICH] for editorial that was in the New Jersey The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under 5 minutes. Star Ledger today, because I think it the Speaker's announced policy of May really says it all in terms of where we f 12, 1995, the gentleman from New Jer- are going or should be going with this TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN BILL sey [Mr. PALLONE] is recognized during health reform issue. EMERSON morning business for 5 minutes. It starts out and it says: Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have The latest census bureau study says that Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank taken to the floor many times in the 66.6 million people, one of every five Ameri- the Chair for recognizing me. last few months to talk about the need cans, will lose their medical coverage for a I just want to take this moment to to pass health insurance reform, the month or more during any 28-month period. share with my colleagues briefly the bill that was originally sponsored by That means a huge part of the population is sense of sadness that I think that we Senators KENNEDY and KASSEBAUM on a always vulnerable to a major health care all feel at the passing away of Con- bipartisan basis that would try to problem. It also makes it clear why Congress gressman BILL EMERSON of Missouri. must stop playing games and pass a bill that achieve significant reform in the areas would help protect people who get caught be- BILL EMERSON was a tremendous of portability and preexisting condi- tween jobs and lose their health coverage. human being who worked extraor- tions. In the same time it takes for you to lose dinarily hard on the issue of hunger, I have also been very critical of the your coverage and get it back, your new in- reach out in a bipartisan way, and was Republican leadership in the House surance company can, and most likely will, recognized around the world as some- which continues to press an amend- stamp ``prior and existing illness'' on any body who cared deeply about everyone ment or an addition, if you will, to the condition you have, on anything that turns on the planet having a chance to have Kennedy-Kassebaum bill that would in- up within the first few months of the new a decent meal and to live a life which coverage, whether it's pregnancy, cancer, clude medical savings accounts. heart disease, or your child's asthmaÐand has good nutrition. I have referred to the medical savings the company will refuse to pay. Congressman EMERSON was an expert accounts as the poison pill that basi- So, to the list of the chronically uninsured, on nutrition programs here and abroad. cally will bring down health insurance you can add those who have insurance that He was also a man who cared deeply. reform this year and could very well does a fat lot of good for the health problems He cared deeply about his family, make it impossible to pass any health they face. This addresses the problem of pre- about his district, about representing insurance reform that would address existing conditions. the people of Missouri, and about serv- The most vulnerable are people who are the issues of portability and preexist- laid off or switch jobs, including those who ing in the U.S. Congress. I think that ing conditions. switch to better jobs where the health bene- as all of us watched him struggle with I mention this today on the floor, Mr. fits may be improved but come with a wait- cancer and we watched as he came to Speaker, because there was an excel- ing period before the coverage kicks in. It's the floor with oxygen, he came to the lent editorial in the Star Ledger, which the kind of thing that can make a bigger b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H6715 H6716 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE June 25, 1996 paycheck smaller faster tan you can say, idea that he included them in the Dem- [Mr. PALLONE] was talking about, pro- ``Why doesn't someone do something about ocrat leadership bill. vides that taxpayers would be per- this?'' In 1994, all but one Democrat on the mitted to have one account to make an Mr. Speaker, the Star Ledger says House Committee on Ways and Means annual deposit of no more than $2,000 if that, ``Somebody is trying.'' They voted in favor of medical savings ac- single, $4,000 if married. Under this bill, point out that, ``the Kennedy-Kasse- counts in the Clinton health care re- in order to make these contributions baum bill, sponsored by one Democrat form plan. So I think the gentleman be tax deductible, an individual must and one Republican, would restrict the from New Jersey, Mr. PALLONE, and be covered by a high deductible health insurance companies' ability to impose others on the Democrat side who com- care plan. By empowering consumers waiting periods or deny coverage for plain about medical savings accounts with choice and individual responsibil- existing health problems. The bill should realize that their leadership, ity, healthy competition among insur- would give people who are caught be- not only in the House but in the Sen- ance companies is created and it is bet- tween jobs a better change of holding ate, when the Medical Cost Contain- ter for all of us. on to health coverage that means ment Act of 1992 wasÐwhich included In 1994, in the issue of the Journal of something. It is a conservative and medical savings accountsÐpresented to American Health Policy article enti- useful beginning to health care re- the Senate, even TOM DASCHLE, was tled, ``Why Medical Savings Accounts form.'' there sponsoring it. So, Mr. Speaker, I Deserve a Closer Look,'' it said: ``Re- However, ``the bill is bogged down be- think it is appropriate that I talk search has shown that these accounts cause some of the same people who about medical savings accounts this give lower health care expenditures have been telling us we do not need to morning. markedly without any negative health tinker with the health care system We have heard a great deal from that effects on individuals with such cov- could not resist tinkering with this bill side of the aisle, talk about how they erage.'' and they've added all sorts of amend- are tax breaks for the rich, which is ab- What are some of the advantages? ments, including one that would allow solutely false, and I think we have all They are portable, total freedom of medical savings accounts. these Democrat leaders who have sup- choice, allows spending on long-term ``Medical savings accounts are of- ported it, so I think the bottom line is, care premiums, will increase the num- fered as a way for everyone to self-in- it is good for America. They were based ber of insured Americans and, of sure by putting money in tax-sheltered upon the premise that the consumer, in course, Mr. Speaker, they create accounts as an alternative to buying this case the purchaser of health care, wealth through all of us increasing our coverage.