Frank Pallone: “the countdown continues. If neither the Bush administration nor this Congress act within the next 20 days, seniors who…”

“the countdown continues. If neither the Bush administration nor this Congress act within the next 20 days, seniors who have yet to sign up for the new prescription drug plan will be penalized with a Bush prescription drug tax that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It is bad enough that the new prescription drug plan is so confusing and complicated that a vast majority of seniors have yet to sign up, but now, if seniors choose a drug plan after May 15, they will be penalized with a tax that will only make their prescription drug costs higher. The Bush administration refuses to extend the deadline, even though they have heard recent reports of seniors waiting on the phone as long as 30 minutes to get more information on these private drug plans. If House Republicans do not join us in extending this unfair deadline, seniors will encounter at least a 7 percent Bush prescription drug tax that they will be forced to pay every month for the rest of their lives. As we check off another day on the calendar, House Republicans now only have another 20 more days to stand up and support America's seniors. It is time Republicans do the right thing. ____________________”