[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 161 (Wednesday, October 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H10285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page H 10285]]


             LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA--VOTE NO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Borski] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the 
Republican plan to cut Medicare by $270 billion while at the same time 
giving a $245 billion tax break to wealthiest Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to represent the 3rd District in the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the 20th oldest district in the United 
States. Pennsylvania is the 2nd oldest State in the United States of 
America. One out of every 6 residents in the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania is a Medicare recipient. One out of every 7 Pennsylvanians 
is on Medicaid. One out of every 3 Pennsylvanians who enter the 
hospital use Medicare. Four hundred thousand people in the city of 
Philadelphia are on Medicaid. The combination of Medicare and Medicaid 
cuts would be devastating not only to senior citizens but also to the 
health care providers in the city of Philadelphia.
  Let me give you one example. In my district in the city of 
Philadelphia 88 percent of the people who enter the Episcopal Hospital 
are on Medicare or Medicaid. Mr. Speaker, I do not know how the 
Episcopal Hospital can survive. Several other hospitals in my district 
and in the city are also on the critical list. In the 3rd District, my 
district, we could lose 6,000 health care workers in the 3rd District 
alone. The city of Philadelphia may well lose over 25,000 jobs. The 
impact of the Medicare cuts on seniors is they will pay more, and 
receive less care, and get less choice. Hospitals and communities 
everywhere will be devastated.
  Mr. Speaker, that is the bad news. Unfortunately there is no good 
news. But there is worse news. We all know that Medicare is for the 
elderly, and we all know that Medicaid is for the least fortunate among 
us. But what people do not know is that Medicaid covers long-term-care 
costs. Sixty-five percent of the nursing home care in Pennsylvania is 
paid for by Medicaid. This safety net is gone. Spousal impoverishment 
protection is gone. What will happen to these seniors who have spent 
their lifetime savings once they are forced to enter a hospital?
  Mr. Speaker, in the last several weeks I have traveled throughout my 
district talking to as many people as was humanly possible. Thousands 
of people in my district have sent in questionnaires. Thousands of 
people have written letters to our office. Our phones are ringing off 
the hook. People do not want Medicare cuts of $270 billion and tax 
breaks of $245 billion at the same time.
  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will take up one of the most important 
measures in my tenure in this Congress. I intend to vote no on the $270 
billion cuts in Medicare, and I urge my colleagues to also vote no.

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