(Sam Gibbons - God knows he tried)
(Continuing our reposts on Health Care reform throughout history)
When Congressman Sam Gibbons took over the Ways and Means Tax writing Panel from Dan Rostenkowski in June of 1994, he immediately introduced a bill for Universal Healthcare.
Brian Naylor (NPR News): “Florida Democrat Sam Gibbons, now the acting Chairman of the tax writing Ways and Means panel is wasting no time in trying to have an impact on the Healthcare Reform debate. Gibbons has temporarily taken the reigns of the committee from Dan Rostenkowski, w ho was forced to step aside last week after his indictment. Gibbons plan would insure all Americans would have Health Insurance by 1998”.
So naturally the Republicans, led by Newt Gingrich launched an instant attack on the bill, urging it's early death.
From The Boston Globe - June 17, 1994
WASHINGTON -- The House Republican whip, Newt Gingrich, acknowledged yesterday that he has told GOP members of a key committee considering health care reform to do whatever they can to kill the bill.
"My advice to the Ways and Means Republicans is they should do what they think is effective in keeping the Gibbons bill from passing," Gingrich said, referring to legislation offered by the House Ways and Means chairman, Sam M. Gibbons. "It's a bad bill. Why offer amendments to improve it?"
The Party of No rears its historic head . . .yet again!
