[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 161 (Wednesday, October 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H10212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           MEDICARE POLITICS

  (Mr. KLINK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, 1 week has passed since 15 senior citizens 
were hauled out of the Committee on Commerce for daring to ask how the 
30-year-old promise of Medicare was going to be kept. The reason for 
their question was in view of the Republican attempt to rape, ravage, 
and pillage that system to the tune of $270 billion to offset tax cuts 
for the wealthy, and they were upset about the fact that the 
legislation before us had had no hearings.
  Still, the image of those wheelchair-bound individuals being 
handcuffed and loaded into paddy wagons and police cars will long 
linger with those of us who were there. Some of them were veterans who 
had fought for our rights to be heard. They were being told ``You are 
too old; get out of here.'' Others were mothers and grandmothers. They 
were being told ``You are too old; get out of here. You are not 
important anymore.''
  Let us get the facts straight. In 1965, 93 percent of the Republicans 
voted against Medicare. In 1993, not one Republican put up a vote for 
COBRA 93 which propped up Medicare and cut the deficit by 40 percent. 
Now, in 1995, we are arresting our seniors for being concerned about 
that promise made 30 years ago.

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