[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 78 (Thursday, May 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FACING UP TO OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

  Mr. THOMPSON. I thank my colleague from Wyoming. As usual, he hits 
the mark squarely. He outlines the problem.
  Mr. President, I think what we are about here today is a part of a 
broader consideration, and that is our responsibility to the American 
people. We are getting about, I believe, responding to an issue here 
that is on the minds of the American people and we are doing something 
that is different, I think, than what has been going on in this body 
and in this city for a long time. And that is, we are facing up to our 
responsibilities.
  Mr. President, I feel that for a long period of time in this country 
the U.S. Congress, in being more interested in the next election and 
the next election cycle than the next generation, for a long time has 
been putting its problems off and rolling them forward again and again 
and again hoping that perhaps the next generation or someone else will 
figure out how to dig out from under the present problems that we have 
laid on them.
  This Medicare situation falls into that category. We have to face up 
to it. I believe it is the responsibility of this body to identify 
those items, those matters which we have concluded represent a 
substantial affect on peoples lives in the future. I think the Medicare 
trustees have put us in that position. They have given us information. 
We have the bully pulpit. We must inform the American people of what is 
happening. There is no room for recriminations right now as to how we 
got there, why we got there. We need to get about solving this problem.
  Put in blunt terms, Mr. President, the trustees have informed us 
that, if we do not do anything, in 7 years Medicare is going to go 
broke. I do not know how much more simply we can explain it.
  Medicare expenditures are increasing at the rate of 10 percent a 
year. We cannot sustain 10 percent a year. Now, the budget that has 
been put forward by the Budget Committee increases Medicare spending. 
It increases Medicare spending at the rate of 7.1 percent a year; not 
the 10 percent, but 7.1 percent.
  We can get the job done at that rate, Mr. President. We can save the 
trust fund. Obviously, it has budget implications. But, separate and 
apart from any budget considerations, the Medicare problem, the 
Medicare crisis, must be addressed.
  The budget that was submitted at 7.1 percent is an increase of 
Medicare spending of twice the rate of inflation. We can increase 
Medicare spending at twice the rate of inflation and still, by not 
going the full 10 percent, we can get out of this problem and save the 
Medicare Program for the 36 million Americans that depend on it. You 
would think that when you have a clear problem like that pointed out by 
a bipartisan commission--everyone in this body knows there is a 
substantial problem--that you would have both branches of Government, 
the executive branch and the legislative branch, pulling together. You 
would think you would have both political parties pulling together; 
that this is indeed a matter of national interest that we all have to 
work together to solve.
  Unfortunately, Mr. President, it seems that the President of the 
United States has taken the position that, because we did not pass his 
health care bill last year, he is going to somehow get back at us by 
not being a player in this game.
  These are tough decisions. These are tough political decisions. Even 
reducing the rate of growth on any program in America is a tough 
political decision, one that we are prepared to face up to.
  But next year, being an election year, apparently the President has 
decided to sit on the sidelines and not participate because we did not 
pass his broad-sweeping health care program last year.
  I think the President misses the point. People knew last year that 
the problem was not in the private sector. The problem was with the 
Federal sector; that is, the Medicare-Medicaid sector. In the private 
sector, costs are actually stabilizing; in many cases costs are 
actually going down in the private sector.
  What the American people said ``no'' to was a broad-sweeping, 
perceived-to-be Federal takeover, which included the private sector. 
They did not say ``no'' to reforming and saving the Medicare Program 
that we have in this country. And that is what we are dealing with here 
today.
  So let us decouple that. Let us get away from the past politics and 
who did what when. Let us give the President the benefit of the doubt. 
Let us say everything he says from a political standpoint is true; that 
he tried to save the entire health care system and we would have saved 
all this money. The facts are otherwise in my opinion, but let us give 
him the benefit of the doubt.
  Let us say, assuming all that is true, assuming all that is true, 
that is the past. This is the future. The problem is a severe one. We 
have been told by a bipartisan commission that we are going to go 
bankrupt in this system within 7 years if we do not do something. We 
have to pull together to save the Medicare system for the 36 million 
Americans that depend on it.
  How do we do that, Mr. President? I do not know anybody in this body 
or anybody on this side of the aisle who claims that we have all the 
answers as to exactly how to do that. The Senator from Wyoming has 
mentioned several different proposals, possibilities. It has been 
suggested that a commission be formed to look at ways of saving 
additional moneys, hopefully keeping the same amount of benefits; not 
being under the illusion that we can squeeze providers forever and get 
it from that source, but to have more choice, give elderly people more 
choice and more opportunity, perhaps, to save moneys that have 
heretofore been spent on the Federal program by availing themselves of 
options in the private sector.
  There are any number of possibilities there. But we have to work 
together to solve this problem. We have to put aside partisan politics. 
We have to put aside past politics. The problem is too great. There are 
too many people that depend on our solving that problem.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
  Mr. WELLSTONE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Minnesota.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if 
in morning business for 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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