Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned about Medicare this year. First of all, we know that the Republican budget will cut Medicare by $270 billion over the next 7 years. That certainly has to be taken into consideration in the context of this bill. This bill, while it may have some merit, the plan may have some merit, I do not think we should be expanding it as this bill would propose. The bill does allow insurance companies to sell insurance policies to seniors that limit their choice, and they may be locked into those choices. Basically, Mr. Speaker, I fear that this year, this 104th Congress, we may see a series of things that will be weakening Medicare. First of all, this program itself is a pilot program. We should look at it more. One study indicates that it increases the cost about 17½ percent per beneficiary in 8 of the 12 States, and in only 1 State was there some possible cost savings. However, put that in context again with what I mentioned in the beginning, that we are cutting $270 billion from Medicare. We have to cast this bill in that context. We are using that cut from Medicare to pay for a tax cut for our very rich. Mr. Speaker, in my district, I do not see people asking for that tax cut, and especially, I think they do not want to take money from Medicare to pay for that tax cut. My mother died last year at age 84.”