[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 161 (Wednesday, October 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H10295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RENEWING MEDICARE COMMITMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bunn of Oregon). Under a previous order 
of the House, the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Watts] is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. KINGSTON. We are trying to elevate this debate and I just heard 
that the Republican Medicare plan is the same as the Japanese attack on 
Pearl Harbor. I really believe you owe my father, a World War II 
veteran, and most Medicare recipients an apology for such a statement. 
I am offended by it. I think the veterans of America are offended by 
that.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. No, I will not yield, Mr. Speaker. I have only 
got 5 minutes and I have got to get up in the morning, so I want to get 
my 5 minutes out of the way.
   Mr. Speaker, I believe the people of the Fourth District of Oklahoma 
sent me here to Washington to work for what I believe in and talk about 
what I believe and since coming to Washington in January, I think that 
I have been doing just that. But tonight I would like to change pace 
and talk for a moment about what I do not believe.
  First I do not believe that there is a single Member of this body who 
does not understand how important Medicare is to his or her older 
constituents.
  Second, I do not believe there is a single Member of this body who 
does not understand that the Medicare system is going to run out of 
money if serious reforms are not enacted.
  Finally, I do not believe there is a single Member of this body who 
would craft a bill to cast a vote that places the health care of 
America's senior citizens in jeopardy.
  In 1965, the 89th Congress made a commitment to older Americans when 
it enacted the Medicare Program. At that time, health care for the 
elderly became part of our Nation's basic social contract with her 
citizens.
  Today with Medicare facing bankruptcy, that commitment is in serious 
jeopardy. Tomorrow we have the opportunity to do something about that. 
We have the opportunity to renew our commitment to older Americans and 
an opportunity to revive a Medicare Program that is seriously in danger 
of default.

  The plan to save Medicare that will be considered on the floor of the 
House tomorrow is a responsible and desperately needed measure that 
addresses the serious financial problems facing the Medicare Program.
  The rhetoric has run high here in the Chamber on the subject of 
Medicare but I ask the American people to stop and think for a moment. 
Every single Member who has worked on drafting these reforms and every 
single Member who supports these reforms has constituents, family, and 
friends who will be affected by the actions that we take.
  I have heard Members in this Chamber say the reforms that we are 
proposing will be cataclysmic for our constituents. I have heard these 
reforms will be a monumental failure. I have heard these reforms will 
destroy the medical care system that we have put in place for our 
Nation's senior citizens.
  I do not believe it, Mr. Speaker. I do not believe it, because it 
simply is not true. The Members who support these much needed reforms 
represent tens of millions of senior citizens who vote, who work on our 
campaigns, who trust us to do what is right. More than that, many of 
these golden-agers are our parents. Each of us takes that trust very 
seriously. That is why we have crafted a bill that guarantees that 
older Americans will have a viable and secure Medicare Program now and 
in the future.
  Furthermore, we also have to work to preserve Medicare to the next 
generation, those baby boomers who are currently watching this debate 
and will fund this program until their retirement. It makes no sense to 
do otherwise.
  I urge my colleagues to support the plan to save Medicare and 
maintain the contract we signed 30 years ago with America's senior 
citizens.

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