Political Quotes

“I rise to support this motion to instruct the conferees to set aside some of the on-budget surplus for Medicare. The Budget Resolution approved by this body in March made the correct decision with regard to Social Security by devoting the off-budget, or Social Security, surplus to paying down the publicly held debt. That was the right thing to do, especially if we are not going to come to closure on a true Social Security reform plan that brings down future liabilities. While the direction on Social security was the correct course, failure to hold some of the on-budget surplus to deal with Medicare takes us down the wrong fiscal path. Medicare's financial problems are not only more acute than Social Security's but also much more difficult to solve. The fact of the matter is that even under the reform plan considered in the Medicare Commission, solvency would not be significantly extended. Given these facts, it seems to me that the smarter fiscal policy over the long-term would be to leave some of the on-budget surplus to address Medicare.”