[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 19, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                            MEDICARE BASHING

  (Mr. KIM asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I am tired of listening to this Medicare 
bashing. I want to point out exactly what we are proposing on Medicare 
on this chart. I want Members to pay attention to this.
  This black line is trust fund balance. Right now we have a $150 
billion balance, but it is rapidly depleting. At the year 2002, the 
money will disappear. This blue line is spent. By the time we hit 2002, 
there will not be any money to spend. There will be a stop payment to 
all the elderly people.
  We recognize this problem because the trust fund commissioned their 
report back in April. They are the ones that said that, not we; we did 
not say it. They are the ones, all the members are Clinton appointees. 
So we come up with this idea. All we try to do is slow down the 
increase, rate of increase a little bit.
  The red one is Mr. Clinton's plan; as we can see, not much 
difference. All we are trying to do is lower a little bit. We are still 
spending more money. Mr. Clinton recognized we have to see this problem 
on this Medicare plan. I do not know why they keep calling this a cut. 
Is it a cut to the Members?

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