Bill Pascrell: “earlier this month I visited members of the AARP in Clifton, New Jersey, to talk about issues that affect senior…”

“earlier this month I visited members of the AARP in Clifton, New Jersey, to talk about issues that affect senior citizens. The first thing they asked me is, ``Are we ever going to get prescription drug coverage?'' And I said to them the best answer I could come up with, ``I hope so.'' Obviously, these seniors are not alone in questioning whether or not Congress will actually do something or if this is yet another example of political posturing during an election year. The only certainty I could leave these seniors is the fact that I support prescription drug coverage through the Medicare program and that I was committed to working in a bipartisan fashion to guarantee that it gets done this Congress. The need for a comprehensive prescription drug plan is clear, and the time for Congress to act is now. Seniors understand better than anyone else the high cost of prescription drugs. The lack of comprehensive coverage for seniors forces them to make decisions that threaten the quality of their lives and indeed their well-being. The number of seniors without drug coverage is increasing day after day. Right now, approximately three out of every five Medicare beneficiaries lack decent, dependable drug coverage. Thirteen million beneficiaries have no prescription coverage, and millions more are at risk of losing coverage. Most seniors without prescription drug coverage are middle-class folks.…”