[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 17 (Friday, January 27, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THE PROTECTION OF AMERICA'S SENIOR 
                                CITIZENS

                                 ______


                        HON. ANDREA H. SEASTRAND

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 27, 1995
  Mrs. SEASTRAND. Mr. Speaker, I suppose I should be honored that the 
Democrats' chief attack dog, Mr. Bonior, chose to use me as an example 
in promulgating one of his party's favorite factual errors--the 
Republican position on Social Security.
  Just in case Mr. Bonior and the Democrat campaign committees have 
misunderstood, let me be clear. As long as I am a Member of the U.S. 
House of Representatives, I will fight any effort to touch Social 
Security.
  Unfortunately, the Democrats are continuing with vigor their failed 
campaign message that Republicans were out to hurt senior citizens and 
destroy Social Security.
  If the American people did not fall for these absurd scare tactics 
during the recent mid-term elections, what makes the Democrats think 
they will fall for it now? You would think that the new minority party 
in Congress would have gotten the message.
  The facts are quite clear. The Republican Contract With America 
specifically states that Social Security is off the table. Republican 
leaders and Republican Members have stated repeatedly that the budget 
can be balanced by the year 2002--without touching Social Security--
simply by restraining the growth in Federal spending to 3 percent 
annually as opposed to the scheduled 5.4 percent increase.
  The basic and unspoken problem that Mr. Bonior and his liberal 
colleagues have with the Republican contract is its commitment to rein 
in out-of-control Federal spending. What this clearly illustrates to 
even the most casual observers is the Democrats' total unwillingness to 
reduce Government spending.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1993 the Clinton Democrats passed the largest tax 
increase in history, and one of the things they conveniently forget 
about this tax increase is how much it hurt America's seniors. The 1993 
tax bill cut Medicare by $85 billion and slapped $25 billion in higher 
taxes on Social Security beneficiaries. Had the Clinton-Gephardt health 
care bill passed the Congress, it would have slashed Medicare by more 
than $400 billion over 10 years and limited the program to zero growth.
  By contrast the Republican contract's Senior Citizens Equity Act, 
which I have cosponsored, helps senior citizens. This bill, H.R. 8, 
includes provisions to raise the Social Security earnings limit to 
$30,000 over 5 years; repeal the Clinton tax increases on Social 
Security retirees; and provide tax incentives for the purchase of 
private long-term care insurance.
  Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Republican proposals outlined in 
the Contract With America are designed to help older Americans and undo 
the damage created by the Clinton Democrats. I am afraid that the 
Democrats' best efforts to scare older Americans into thinking 
otherwise will fail just as miserably as it did during the 1994 
elections.


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