Barbara Mikulski: “I rise on an issue of critical importance to seniors in Maryland and across the United States. That issue is the need…”

“I rise on an issue of critical importance to seniors in Maryland and across the United States. That issue is the need for Medicare coverage of prescription drugs. "Honor your father and mother" is not only a good commandment to live by, it is a good public policy to govern by. It should be a priority not only in the federal law books, but in the federal checkbook. And I believe that providing a Medicare drug benefit is a perfect way of honoring our fathers and mothers. That is why I'm proud to stand in support of Senator Robb's amendment, which says that a Medicare drug benefit is more important than tax cuts. The Medicare Program has been a tremendous success story. It has reduced poverty among the elderly by almost two-thirds since it was created in 1965. But the world has changed in the last 35 years. In 1965, people feared the costs of hospitalization. One major illness, which years ago often resulted in a hospital stay of several weeks or even months, could bankrupt many families. Today, people fear the costs of chronic care. They need help with the costs of prescription drugs that control chronic conditions and keep people out of the hospital. Many of these life-saving medicines are the result of American medical science and breakthroughs made in this country. I feel very strongly that all Americans should have access to those breakthroughs. We must act now to ensure that they do. In my home state of Maryland, almost 560,000 seniors rely on Medicare.”