Iowa Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, won passage for an amendment that will force Congress and congressional staff members to access health insurance through the exchange that would be created by the health care reform legislation under consideration by the Finance Committee.

In a news release Grassley said, “the more that Congress experiences the laws we pass, the better the laws are likely to be.”

Members of the committee agreed through unanimous consent on Tuesday night to support the Grassley amendment. Senator Jim Bunning was a cosponsor of the amendment.

As it stands now, members of Congress and their staffs participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The exchange that would be established by the pending legislation is modeled after this federal employees’ program and designed to give participants the same kind of choices and options for health care coverage as federal employees.

It would allow individuals who don’t receive insurance from employers to purchase policies at group rates.

Grassley also said, “my interest in having Members of Congress participate in the exchange is consistent with my long-held view that Congress should live under the same laws it passes for the rest of the country.”