Jim Ramstad: “today our House Committee on Ways and Means passed the Medicare Preservation Act to save Medicare, to keep the Medicare…”

“today our House Committee on Ways and Means passed the Medicare Preservation Act to save Medicare, to keep the Medicare system solvent until the year 2010 and to let seniors have more choices in health care plans. Our legislation keeps Medicare solvent, as I said, and lets seniors stay in the current fee-for-service system or choose a HMO, a preferred provider network or a medical savings account. Why should seniors not have the same choices in health care that every other American has? Mr. Speaker, also it is important to point out that this legislation increases Medicare spending about 6.5 percent a year, which means the average Medicare beneficiary will receive $4,800 this year and $6,700 in the year 2002. The point I want to make tonight, Mr. Speaker, is that this legislation guarantees, guarantees that none of the Medicare savings will go for tax cuts. They will go into a lockbox to be used only to maintain the long-term solvency of Medicare. Mr. Speaker, I ask that this article, this opinion piece by the well-respected economist, Robert Samuelson, which was published in today's Washington Post, be made part of the Record. Economist Samuelson points out in this piece in today's Post, and I am quoting now, ``Democrats cast Republicans as cutting everything from Medicare to college loans to pay for a tax cut for the rich. That is untrue.'' That is Mr. Samuelson's words.”