[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4679]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DESPITE THE RHETORIC, A CUT IN MEDICARE IS STILL A CUT

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Republican majority is 
almost a month late in meeting the statutory deadline for passing a 
House budget resolution, but finally they've decided to prepare a 
budget that is even uglier than we thought. If the Republican majority 
wanted to balance the budget, they could do that today if we cut 
Medicare, Social Security, and COLA's, but no, their budget is going to 
cut it 5 or 7 years from now. Medicare faces cuts in excess of $256 
billion.
  It is true. Despite the public outcry not to cut Social Security or 
Medicare, Republicans are united in a plan that will directly cut 
Medicare to pay for a tax cut. They also intend to cut the COLA for 
Social Security recipients by readjusting the formula. The worst part 
is that Republicans are telling us they are not cutting, they are 
simply slowing the growth.
  They can call it what they want, but if someone is 65 in 1998 and 
they do not have Medicare, that is a cut. This bill is a cut for that 
person who is now 62 and needs Medicare 3 years from now, so it is a 
cut. I do not think we need to play with words. I think the Republican 
majority needs to be honest with the American people: that in order to 
balance the budget and pay for tax cuts for the rich they stand united 
in their effort to cut Medicare.


                          ____________________