[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 121 (Tuesday, July 25, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H7559-H7560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                THE REPUBLICAN TRIPLE WHAMMY ON MEDICARE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Frank] is recognized 
during morning business for 2 minutes.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I want to be fair to the 
Republicans. We should not just talk about the pain they are going to 
be inflicting by making all the people pay more for Medicare because 
that is only one part of it. They also plan in their budget to reduce 
the cost of living every elderly person gets, no matter how low on the 
income scale.
  Their budget balances in the year 2002, only because in part they cut 
the cost-of-living increase for Social Security. They think older 
people have been overcompensated for inflation.
  But finally, for those older people who live in assisted housing and 
public housing who have Section 8 certificates, they have a third gift. 
They are going to raise their rent. So older people are going to find 
that, if the bill passes that is pending before us, that instead of 30 
percent, they will pay 32 percent of their income. Their income will 
not go up as fast. Maybe that is the consolation when the Republicans 
cut the cost of living, but they will pay 

[[Page H 7560]]
more for Medicare. They will get less of a cost of living, and their 
rent will go up.
  At least older people who read the comics and remember Al Capp, Lil' 
Abner, and Evil-Eye Fliegal will know what is happening to them. They 
are about to get the Republican triple whammy.


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