[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 18, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    GOP PUTTING THE HURT ON SENIORS

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                          HON. CARDISS COLLINS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 18, 1995
  Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as big business and the 
wealthy in this country gather in their boardrooms and backyards to 
salivate over the massive tax breaks included in the Republican budget 
proposal, millions of our Nation's seniors sit at home in fear of 
losing a great portion of their health care coverage due to the $270 
billion in cuts to the Medicare program that my colleagues on the other 
side of the aisle are ramming through this body.
  Just what kind of priorities does the majority have? They want to gut 
Medicare to provide a $245 billion tax cut to those who least need it 
at a time when we can least afford it. Their answer to the Federal 
health care challenges facing this country seems to be a quick phone 
call to Dr. Kevorkian.
  There is no doubt that the Republicans are planning to balance the 
budget on the backs of seniors and then hand them the check when the 
bill comes due. In fact, the Washington Times recently reported that 
the GOP leadership has agreed to ``offer seniors more choices in the 
private health care market as an alternative to Medicare,'' and are set 
to ``raise premiums or reduce reimbursements'' for seniors drastically.
  Talk about a sham, Mr. Speaker. The GOP obviously doesn't believe in 
any contract with older Americans. If they did we wouldn't be having 
this debate.


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