On the recordJuly 23, 2002
The purpose of my taking the limited time that I have is not to criticize the other approach because our approach cannot be good just because the others are deficient. The tripartisan plan should be able to stand on what it stands for, not because the Graham plan is deficient in any particular area. So I am not going to spend my time talking about any perceived deficiencies in their plan but rather explain what we have presented to the Senate. Legislating is the art of the possible. It is not trying to get something done that cannot happen. There are a number of proposals trying out how we are going to do what everybody thinks we should do, and that is an attempt to provide some reform to Medicare and at the same time do what we should have done in 1965, and that is to cover prescription drugs under Medicare. Prescription drugs today are equally as important as a hospital bed was in 1965.
Said by
John B. Breaux
Source
govinfo.gov