Bob Dole: “last Wednesday the Medicare trustees released their report on the state of the Medicare trust fund, and the report was…”

“last Wednesday the Medicare trustees released their report on the state of the Medicare trust fund, and the report was grim. Instead of going bankrupt in 2002, as they previously forecasted, the trustees conclude that Medicare will go bankrupt in 2001--just 5 years from now. For the past year and a half, this Republican Congress has attempted to deal honestly and forthrightly with the impending Medicare meltdown. We put forward a budget that would protect, preserve, and strengthen Medicare by reducing its unsustainable rate of growth, while still allowing for a healthy growth rate. We did not claim that our plan was perfect or that it solved the long-term problem. But it was a real attempt to alleviate a crisis that will immediately impact 37 million seniors and disabled Americans, and will have repercussions on tens of millions more. In May 1995, I called for a bipartisan Commission to be set up to save Medicare similar to the one that saved Social Security. Unfortunately the White House dismissed the idea and decided to attack Republican plans to save the Medicare system. That is why I rise today to introduce the Medicare Restoration Act to establish a blue-ribbon bipartisan advisory commission to help deal with this crisis. In my view, leadership means more than just talking about problems. It also means doing something to solve them.”