On the recordJanuary 26, 1994
the President gave us a fine delivery last night, very broad-reaching and grandiose plans for his administration in 1994. But one thing that may have slipped by in all of the various points that were made is the fact that the President seemed to say that anything short of the Clinton health-care approach to health-care reform would draw a Presidential veto. What that basically means is that all of the other plans that are out there that Members of this body and the other body have worked so hard on to bring forward for debate for the American people's scrutiny and for due deliberation in the process that we have in this wonderful body, that they are not going to be allowed to be debated. They will not be heard. There will not be options. But there are at least four or five other plans that deserve good debate and analysis. I think it is a little bit like threatening to gather up all of your marbles and go home if somebody does not guarantee that you are going to win the game. But health care in this country is not a game. It is too important. It affects every American. And I know the President does not mean to play games with it. The fact is, I think, today we could get enough votes in this House and the other body to pass a bill that would significantly improve the health-care situation for millions of Americans.
