On the recordMarch 24, 2004
the Medicare trustees have reported that the Medicare trust fund is in trouble. Imagine what would happen if the Democrat minority had successfully passed their bill. The reforms that we passed to preserve the life of the Medicare system would have disappeared and the trillion-dollar-plus price tag of the Democratic bill would have ended Medicare as we know it. We would have no choice but to make painful cuts or increase taxes to pay for the Democrats' Medicare bill. The irony is that now that we are so close to finally implementing the law and finally getting cheaper prescription drug benefits for seniors, the Democrats want to repeal it. What we should do, Mr. Speaker, is not take away the prescription drug coverage for American seniors, but rather we should try to improve upon it, modify it and eventually make it fiscally responsible and highly workable.
Source
govinfo.gov
