Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Hagel-Ensign Medicare Prescription Drug Discount and Security Act of 2002. I do so after a long day of debate, discussion, and votes on bills which attempt to reach out with affordable prescription drug coverage for our seniors. Over the course of the day's debate, we have touched upon what matters most to seniors. That is what I want to address in the next 3 or 4 minutes. What do seniors who are listening today--38 million Medicare potential recipients who are seniors today and another 5 or 6 million individuals with disabilities--what do they want regarding prescription drug coverage? I think it is three things. The first issue is that seniors want security. They want peace of mind. When you are 65, 70, 75, 80 years of age, the most frightening thought is that in those final years of your life you develop something--whether it is heart disease, chronic lung disease, emphysema, or lymphoma--and all of a sudden you face high prescription drug costs which are skyrocketing. We know this is an issue--we have been talking about that all week long. In essence, paying for prescription drugs bankrupts you in terms of what you can afford and, even worse than that, what your children may be able to afford. The beauty of this particular bill is that it addresses that peace of mind, that security.”