[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 126 (Tuesday, August 1, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H8072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SPEAKING TO SENIORS ABOUT MEDICARE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Sam Johnson] is recognized 
during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely disgusted with 
the lies and misinformation coming from the Democrats about Medicare. 
This past weekend, Democrats held town meetings with seniors to spread 
fear about the Republican efforts to save Medicare. One was held in my 
hometown of Dallas.
  I find it unconscionable that these Democrats can tell seniors that 
Republicans are cutting Medicare when our budget increases Medicare 
spending by 5.8 percent every year over the next 7 years. Yes, you 
heard me right. Medicare spending increases by 5.8 percent every year 
per patient. Spending will increase from $4,800 in 1995 to $6,700 in 
the year 2002; and that is more of an increase than your usual annual 
wage increase. It is not a cut, and anyone who says it is either needs 
to take math over again or try to lie better.
  The worst part of this big lie campaign is that the news media has 
fallen right into their hands. The Dallas paper did not even bother to 
cover Medicare meetings that were held in Dallas earlier with over 300 
seniors at each of three different meetings.
  I was there. I held them. We discussed the problems with Medicare and 
talked openly about the possible solutions with seniors.
  I know seniors have the experience with Medicare necessary to provide 
us with good ideas for reform. So instead of holding meetings to scare 
them about Medicare, I am making them part of the solution. And I think 
the seniors deserve that.
  This newspaper chose to run an article which, as the reporter freely 
admitted, was based almost solely on propaganda brochures passed out at 
the Democrats' big lie meeting. The paper never bothered to check the 
facts with any member of either one of the congressional committees 
with jurisdiction over Medicare or anyone else that might be able to 
clarify facts for this story.
  This irresponsible journalism does a huge disservice to my 
constituents and others around the Nation and only makes the business 
of saving Medicare just that much harder.
  But American seniors should not be as concerned with what the 
Democrats are telling them as what the Democrats are not telling them. 
Although it probably was not mentioned at this weekend's meeting, 
Medicare is facing an enormous crisis.
  The Medicare Board of Trustees, which includes four Clinton-appointed 
Cabinet members, made it clear that Medicare is going broke and will be 
bankrupt in just 7 years. So unless Congress does something to help the 
system, there is not going to be any Medicare at all.
  Democrats are not being honest with the seniors. They will throw out 
lies and use scare tactics, but when it comes to the facts, they have 
nothing to say.
  Now I am going to turn 65 myself this year, and I am really worried 
that there are people like this in this Congress, people who would 
rather play partisan games than sit down with us and figure out how to 
help today's seniors and future seniors in America by saving Medicare.
  So to the seniors in Dallas I say, I am sorry that you have been 
dragged into this political maneuvering. This issue is really too 
important to be left to politics as usual, and I assure you, with or 
without the Democrats, we are going to pass a bill this year that will 
protect, preserve, and strengthen Medicare for everyone in America.


                          ____________________