ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 10, 1994                   TAG: 9408110048
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BOUCHER, PAYNE, PICKETT OPPOSE PLAN IN HOUSE

Three Democratic congressmen from Virginia have bucked their party's leadership on health care reform, saying they will not support a plan pushed by House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and backed by the Clinton administration.

Rep. L.F. Payne of Nelson County and Rep. Owen Pickett of Virginia Beach said they opposed the plan because it contains employer mandates.

Rep. Rick Boucher of Abingdon said he would not support the bill because it contains a tobacco-tax increase that is ``unfair and disproportionate.''

The Gephardt bill is designed to provide universal coverage by 1999 and is financed largely by mandatory business contributions.

``Employer mandates are not fair and will not work,'' Payne said.

He fought hard against President Clinton's proposal for a 75-cent-a-pack increase on cigarettes.

The Ways and Means Committee agreed on a 45-cent increase.

Boucher said even that increase is out of line.

``I do not support increasing the tax on tobacco in order to fund health care reform,'' he said. 


 by CNB