Jim Ramstad: “I rise with mixed feelings about this conference report. I am concerned about both the integrity of our legislative…”

“I rise with mixed feelings about this conference report. I am concerned about both the integrity of our legislative process and the narrowness of our mental health care debate. Earlier this year, I supported the House-passed version of the fiscal year 1997 VA/HUD appropriations measure. Since then the Senate has incorporated into this funding package three new health care mandates--in fact, it may be more appropriate to now refer to the bill before us as the VA/HUD/HHS appropriation bill. These three new public health provisions are not small and technical in nature, but rather significant changes that will affect the delivery of health care for hundreds of thousands of Americans. To my knowledge, none of these new health care provisions have been reported out by any of the House committees of jurisdiction, nor reached the floor for a vote. I trust this leap frogging of our established legislative process, with the significant public policy implications it entails, is not a practice this body should encourage. My second concern is that by passing the fiscal year 1997 VA/HUD conference report, this Congress will take an important, but incomplete step toward a more equitable relationship between mental and medical health benefits.”