Political Quotes

“I just want to make several comments in response to some of the issues we have discussed today regarding the two competing plans. What is most important about this debate is that we have the ability to discuss the programmatic differences in policies that each of our approaches have taken with respect to delivering this prescription drug benefit plan. First and foremost, I should say that the plan we are offering is a tripartisan plan. It was crafted by Senators Breaux, Jeffords, Hatch, Grassley, and myself as members of the Senate Finance Committee, primarily designed to overcome many of the partisan differences that might exist on this issue and, hopefully, to bridge the gap so that we have the opportunity to pass a prescription drug benefit this year. I heard mention the issue about a doughnut that exists in our bill; that is, the gap between the benefit limit of $3,450 and $3,700. First of all, 80 percent of those seniors who would be participating in this program--80 percent of the Medicare beneficiaries--would not even reach the benefit limit of $3,450.”