[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, country and western singer Jerry Reed 
must have had the Republican budget in mind when he sang, ``She got the 
gold mine and I got the shaft.''
  The proposed budget which the Congress will vote on today will give 
the gold mine to wealthy special interests while America's elderly who 
depend upon Medicare and depend upon Social Security get the shaft.
  The Republican budget cuts Medicare by $283 billion over 7 years, 
slashing Medicare spending by 25 percent. Out-of-pocket costs for 
seniors will increase by over $1,000 in 2002 and $3,500 over 7 years.
  My constituents have not been asking me to raise the cost of their 
health care to provide tax breaks for the wealthy and to escalate cold 
war spending. The budget also cuts Medicaid by $180 billion over 7 
years and cuts Social Security benefits by $24 billion between 1999 and 
2002, all to pay for tax cuts for the rich.
  Mr. Speaker, why are Republicans cutting Medicare to pay for tax cuts 
for the privileged few?

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