Bob Dole: “The purpose of the conference--it will be the third conference we have had on health care--is to determine how many…”

“The purpose of the conference--it will be the third conference we have had on health care--is to determine how many areas we can agree on in health care, how many areas Republicans can agree on in the health care area and, if we can, explore our disagreements and find out if there is any way to resolve those disagreements. We are not going there to put together a plan. We are going there to see where we are in the process. There is no question about it; no single plan has the votes here to pass. We would hope in the final analysis there would be some bipartisan consensus reached that would attract a great many, a majority of Members on each side of the aisle. In my view, health care is not an issue where you want to win by one vote or two votes or three votes. It ought to be an issue that has overwhelming support. So that will be the purpose of our conference this next day and a half. We do not expect to come out with total unanimity. This is a very difficult issue.”