[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                  [[Page H4517]] ONE TOO MANY PROMISES

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, there is no mystery as to why the 
Republican leadership is late in producing their promised balanced 
budget and it seems that the party that loves to talk about promises 
made and promises kept may have made one too many promises when it 
comes to tax breaks for their wealthy friends. Who is being asked to 
finance the GOP tax windfall to the wealthy this time? Senior citizens. 
In fact, the Republican leaders want to cut $300 billion from Medicare 
to help to pay for their $325 billion tax giveaway to the wealthy. 
These cuts would add more than $3,000 to seniors' health care costs.
  Mr. Speaker, Medicare is a program that works. It has made a 
difference in the lives of our seniors by bringing affordable care to 
seniors on fixed incomes.
  This cut would be devastating to seniors. Do not take my word for it; 
listen to what the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Ways 
and Means, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Archer], said last year about 
Medicare cuts. I quote:

       I just don't believe that quality of care and availability 
     of care can survive these additional cuts. And that is the 
     price that is going to have to be paid to pay for these cuts.

  Republican leaders in the House should remember those words and 
reconsider this wrongheaded plan. We, in this body, should be fighting 
to save the Medicare safety net for seniors, not robbing the Medicare 
trust fund to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy.


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