[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 89 (Friday, May 26, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                            MEDICARE FUNDING

                                 ______


                        HON. MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 1995
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to denounce the mean-spirited 
and destructive proposals to slash funding for the Medicare Program. 
Medicare provides many of America's seniors with their only source of 
health insurance.
  In showing their total lack of concern in this area, Republicans have 
proposed cutting Medicare spending by nearly $300 billion. Let me say 
that again, $300 billion. These cuts would result in a drastic 25-
percent reduction in Medicare spending by the year 2002. These 
unprecedented reductions in Medicare spending would certainly damage 
seniors' access to health care and the quality of care they receive.
  Never in my time in Congress have I seen such a total disregard for 
the needs of seniors. If these cuts are enacted at the completion of 
the budget process, we will not only be harming current Medicare 
recipients, but also the many other hard-working Americans who have 
been planning their retirement with the current level of Medicare 
benefits in mind.
  I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to realize the 
misguided and mean-spirited nature of their proposal. When we do 
consider legislation to enact these cuts, I ask all my colleagues to 
consider: Is it right for Congress to target honest, tax-paying senior 
Americans in their drive to lower taxes for corporate moguls?


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