[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 THE CONTRACT'S CROWN JEWEL--TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH, BROKEN PROMISES TO 
                                SENIORS

  (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, today the bill comes due for the 
Republican's tax giveaway to the privileged few, and the primary bill 
payers are senior citizens who will be hit with $288 billion in cuts to 
Medicare.
  The Speaker has called the Republican tax plan the crown jewel of the 
Contract With America.
  It is a crown jewel all right--if you are a large corporation that 
may not have to pay any taxes at all--if you are a billionaire 
expatriate who gives up your citizenship to avoid paying taxes--if you 
are making more than $350,000 and you are going to walk away with a 
$20,000 tax break.
  But if you are a senior citizen, get ready to pay up for that crown 
jewel. Your Medicare premiums and copayments are going up, and your 
benefits are being cut. Altogether the average senior should expect to 
pay $1,060 more in out-of-pocket expenses by the year 2002.
  Make no mistake about it, the Republican budget plan robs Medicare to 
pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. To keep their promise to 
the rich, the Republicans must break our most sacred promise to 
America's seniors.


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