Hospital Cost Containment Legislation Statement on Action by the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee.

I am very pleased by the action of the House Commerce Committee today in favorably reporting, 23 to 19, with bipartisan support, the administration's bill to contain hospital costs. Since the Ways and Means Committee has already reported similar legislation, the full House will at last have an opportunity to act on one of the Nation's most serious problems-soaring hospital costs.

Although it promises to be a close vote, it is inconceivable that a majority of the House would refuse to join in this effort to attack directly one of the primary causes of inflation and to save billions of Federal and State taxpayers' dollars. This is undoubtedly the single most important anti-inflation and budget-saving bill the Congress will face this session. Every Member's seriousness in dealing with excessive inflation and wasteful Federal spending will be judged—correctly—in large part by his or her vote on this issue. I am confident the full House will follow the lead of the Senate during the last Congress and act favorably at long last to restrain soaring hospital costs.

I am grateful for the leadership of Commerce Committee Chairman Harley Staggers and Health Subcommittee Chairman Henry Waxman in seeing the bill successfully through the committee.