Excerpt of Executive Session Hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means

Files

clfa_0003.jpg
For years, Wilbur Mills (D-AR), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, had been an obstacle to health reform, but in the 89th Congress his leadership was crucial in passing legislation that gave the nation Medicare. A committee meeting on March 2 was decisive. The executive session transcription indicates that in addition to H.R. 1, the committee also considered a bill submitted by the panel’s ranking minority member, John W. Byrnes (R-WI), who proposed a more expansive, voluntary program for the elderly that was financed through general revenues and participants’ contributions. Another part of Byrnes’s bill included federal matching funds to states that provided subsidies for those who could not afford to participate in the voluntary program. Toward the end of this crucial meeting, Chairman Mills surprised the committee members when he ordered the staff to draw up an entirely new bill that combined H.R. 1 and Byrne’s bill. Participants in the March 2 session described this combination as a “three-layer cake.”

Citation

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means. "Excerpt of Executive Session Hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means." Excerpt of Executive Session Hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means, March 2, 1965; Minutes of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Volume 3 of 9; Committee on Ways and Means; 89th Congress; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, RG 233; National Archives.. Accessed 28 March 2024. https://acsc.lib.udel.edu/exhibits/show/legislation/item/193.

Dublin Core

Title

Excerpt of Executive Session Hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means

Subject

Medicare Act of 1965

Description

For years, Wilbur Mills (D-AR), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, had been an obstacle to health reform, but in the 89th Congress his leadership was crucial in passing legislation that gave the nation Medicare. A committee meeting on March 2 was decisive. The executive session transcription indicates that in addition to H.R. 1, the committee also considered a bill submitted by the panel’s ranking minority member, John W. Byrnes (R-WI), who proposed a more expansive, voluntary program for the elderly that was financed through general revenues and participants’ contributions. Another part of Byrnes’s bill included federal matching funds to states that provided subsidies for those who could not afford to participate in the voluntary program. Toward the end of this crucial meeting, Chairman Mills surprised the committee members when he ordered the staff to draw up an entirely new bill that combined H.R. 1 and Byrne’s bill. Participants in the March 2 session described this combination as a “three-layer cake.”

Creator

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means

Source

Excerpt of Executive Session Hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means, March 2, 1965; Minutes of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Volume 3 of 9; Committee on Ways and Means; 89th Congress; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, RG 233; National Archives.

Publisher

Association of Centers for the Study of Congress

Date

1965-03-02

Contributor

Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration

Rights

Materials on this site are provided for educational use under Fair Use outlined by U.S. Copyright law. This item may be protected under copyright. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission from the copyright holder before publishing or reproducing materials. For assistance, please contact the contributor of this material.

Format

JPEG/PDF

Language

English

Type

Document

Identifier

cfla_0003.jpg