"Wilson, F Paul - Implant (aka Colin Andrews)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson F. Paul)

"Very impressive, ' he said, "but I don't see anything here about party
affiliation."

"I'm an independent, " Gin said.

He glanced up at her as if she'd burped, then cleared his throat.

"Party affiliation is very important. We have to know whom we can
trust."

"If I'm on your staff, you can trust me. If you want a straight
answer, I'll give it to you. If I don't know an answer, I'll find
out." He stared at her. "I don't know . . . the senator was
impressed that a practicing physician, especially a young one, would
apply for a position as a legislative assistant on the Guidelines
bill.

Tell me, What do you think you can bring to the committee that we don't
already have? " Finally, here was the question Gin had been waiting
for.

"I can bring a lot of things. First off■'' "You know the history of
the committee, don't you? ' he said. Gin did, but that wasn't going
to stop Blair "Well, back when you were still in training, before a
national healthcare program and universal coverage became hot topics,
Senator McCready, a ranking member of the Committee on Labor and Human
Resources, introduced his Medical Practice Guidelines Bill in the
Senate at about the same time Congressman Allard introduced a very
similar bill in the House. In a rare show of cooperation a joint
committee was formed. Senator McCready chaired the hearings but died
before the bill could be sent to the floor of either house. With one
of its chief sponsors gone, the bill died in committee." Gin nodded.

"But earlier this year the president stepped in.

Yes He persofally asked Senator Marsden to revive the McCready
committee. But he wanted the legislation to include not only practice
guidelines, but mandates on medical ethics as well. ' "And that's why
you need me, " Gin said, rushing in before Blair could drone on further
with his recitation. "I'm a board-eligible internist who came through
the medicine and public policy residency at Tulane. I'm a fully
trained physician who's well versed in public health issues.

You're going to be collecting reams of testimony, much of it
conflicting. You'll need someone like me to sift through it and
septate the wheat from the chaff. If Senator Marsden■" "Quite frankly,
I don't share the senator's enthusiasm for having a doctor on board, "
Blair said, staring at her. "I think it could cause too much
confusion, maybe even dissension. So, what can you say or do that will
change my mind? " Gin's skin crawled at the way he looked at her when