THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409230585
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GUY FRIDDELL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Health care reform ``is dead, rest in peace!'' U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb declared here Thursday night.
His prediction came during a trip from Washington as part of his campaign for re-election against Republican Oliver North and independent J. Marshall Coleman.
Asked about health care reform, he told 300 members of the Tidewater Builders Association:
``Nothing is going to happen this year, in my judgment, and nothing will happen in the next Congress.''
The proposed reform is complicated, he said, and it has become ``so politicized, it is going to have to wait until after another presidential election before this one is taken up.
``So if you're concerned about the prospect of health care reform, you can rest easy, probably for another 2 1/2 years, and if you were really looking for systemic change with the system, you're going to be disappointed.''
A rainstorm delayed Robb's departure from Washington, so he was two hours late for the gathering in the Omni International Hotel.
Arriving, he was in good spirits despite a poll by the Richmond Times-Dispatch that showed him trailing North. And, it turned out, Robb was in good shape.
Striding down the aisle, he leaped 3 feet onto the stage, a feat few in the hall would dare attempt. Robb, as he landed, gave a slight ``Oops!''
His remarks on health care reform came during a question-and-answer session after his speech.
The proposal developed by the Clinton administration ``was, frankly, too top-heavy. It was too bureaucratic. It was too complicated.
``It had employer mandates that were not fully understood or didn't connect in the ways that were needed to the whole system.''
Of efforts to shape and pass reform legislation, Robb said, ``We just never got a critical mass. It was just too complicated, and nothing scares people more than a great big change they just don't fully understand.''
Questioned later by reporters, Robb said he agreed with Defense Secretary William J. Perry's forecast that the majority of combat troops would be withdrawn from Haiti by Dec. 31. That, he said, ``is the hope and expectation of the United States.''
Remarks by Gen. Raoul Cedras on Thursday that he would give up control but remain in Haiti posed a problem, Robb said. ``Most people believed that the best solution was to have him and the other two principals leave immediately.''
Robb's return flight to Washington was canceled, and he hitched a ride to Richmond. He had to be in Washington for a committee session on the Maritime Reform Act, legislation that would affect Hampton Roads businesses, including Newport News Shipbuilding and Norfolk Southern. He was planning to return to Norfolk today for a meeting with military families.
Ringing in Robb's ears as he left the hall was applause that greeted several of his remarks during his speech before the builders.
The most clamorous ovation occurred at the end of the question-and-answer session when the association's president read a comment that had been passed to the rostrum by a member of the audience:
``Senator Robb, let's send North to Alaska!''
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATES
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