Bob Dole: “let me also indicate to my colleagues that we have just completed a very successful meeting with Republican House…”

“let me also indicate to my colleagues that we have just completed a very successful meeting with Republican House Members and Republican Senators on health care reform. We have now reached agreement on the Republican side. Senator Kassebaum, Senator Roth, Congressman Archer, Congressman Hastert, Congressman Armey, the Speaker, myself, Congressman Kasich, and many others have been involved in this process. We believe that we have put together a good, solid, health reform bill that will help millions and millions of Americans. My only regret is that we cannot vote on it before I leave at 2 o'clock tomorrow. But we have the agreement. That is the important thing. I hope now that the Democrats, including the Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, will take a hard look at what we have been able to put together. In our view it goes a long way in ensuring portability. It does a great deal for the self-employed. It does a great deal in making health care affordable. It also will start the MSA process, medical savings accounts, which have broad appeal in this country. We believe we are on the right track. So now it is up to the White House. It is up to the President. I hope the President will say this is good, this is close enough, maybe not everything he wanted. It is not everything we wanted, but that is the way it works when you go to conference. So the Republicans have agreed. Now we need to appoint conferees.”