[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 142 (Wednesday, September 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H8812-H8813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 LET US WORK TOGETHER TO SAVE MEDICARE

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)

[[Page H 8813]]

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE. Mr. Speaker, to all of the seniors in the 18th 
Congressional District in Houston, let me thank you for 300-plus of you 
who joined me at my Town Hall meeting in August and said, ``Absolutely 
not, absolutely not, to the false truths and false representations by 
the Republican majority on Medicare,'' and absolutely not to the 
proposed Medicare cuts.
  Where is the Democratic plan? Our plan has been on the table for at 
least a year. National health reform is the appropriate plan that would 
provide reasonable health care to all Americans.
  What is the truth? The truth is, yes, America, this program is not 
bankrupt. In 1970 the Medicare Program had a 2-year life. It has gone 
up to a 14-year life in the 1980's. The Medicare Program has today 
approximately a 7-year life.
  Who has been able to save Medicare? Democrats. Who has been able to 
bash and ban Medicare? Republicans.
  The truth is simply that we must get rid of fraud, we must get rid of 
abuse, but we should not force those who are taking care of elderly 
parents to choose between those parents and the children they have to 
educate. The Republican plan to cut Medicare should be exposed. I call 
for 4 weeks of hearings on this plan. President Truman tried to 
implement Medicare, but the Republicans said ``no'' then. America, do 
not let them say ``no'' today. Tell the Republicans, ``No, let us work 
together to save Medicare without a wasteful $245 billion tax cut for 
the wealthy.''


                          ____________________