Nick Lampson: “During this week I have heard from representatives of thousands of senior citizens in southeast Texas, like my…”

“During this week I have heard from representatives of thousands of senior citizens in southeast Texas, like my 93-year-old mother, that they overwhelmingly oppose this proposal, and they give three reasons why. They believe the privatization provisions will cause Medicare to wither. They are astounded that the bill prohibits our government from bargaining for better drug prices. They are concerned about the uncertainty of being put back into HMOs that dumped them recently. Do our seniors a favor, slow this train down. Put some dignity back in the process and open it up. The benefits will not even go into effect for 2 years. What is it going to hurt to wait two more weeks and do what the seniors requested at that White House Conference on Aging in 1995 at the beginning of this debate. Save Medicare and let us live our lives in dignity and independence. In 1995 I was sent as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. 4000 seniors gathered for this non-partisan meeting. They set goals at that meeting and asked our government to do 3 things: protect medicare; protect social security; and allow seniors to live their last years in dignity and independence.”