Jon L. Christensen: “Mr. Speaker, as my colleague the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) said, the big issues that remain before us as…”

“Mr. Speaker, as my colleague the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) said, the big issues that remain before us as we come close to the end of the 106th Congress are the same ones that we have not been able to get the Republican leadership of this body to adequately address through several Congresses, not just this one, education and health care. Last week I was able to join some of my colleagues to call for passage of our education agenda. But tonight I want to join my colleague in talking about health care. A few weeks ago, I joined Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, along with the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Berry) and others at a hearing in the other body to call on their leadership to bring the patients' bill of rights to the floor for a vote and to pass it. To date nothing has happened. That is despite the testimony of patients, of a mother who lost her daughter because she was denied the test and care that she needed, the testimony of health care professionals who said how their professional judgment and their values were daily compromised by having to work under the current managed care system.”