[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 8, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H11835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICARE

  (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, Medicare cuts, now an $11 premium increase 
on part B, all to pay for a tax break for the wealthy.
  My constituents are concerned. And in fact, a recent letter from one 
of my constituents said:

       Dear Representative Stupak: I have been out of circulation 
     for a while because of illness. I do hope my letter will not 
     be too late for your consideration.
       We are deeply concerned about the health care programs, 
     particularly Medicare and Medicaid and also Social Security. 
     Granted they need attention. It seems the first move should 
     be to take the graft out and better bookkeeping. There are 
     also many programs that are fleecing America which could be 
     cut to help balancing the budget!
       My husband and I have worked very hard all our lives and 
     strived to make a decent retirement situation. We have been 
     community workers giving our time and money. We thought we 
     were in good condition until my husband and downed with 
     Alzheimer's Disease and I have been in the hospital 9 times 
     in recent years. My husband worked for the Post Office 
     thirty-seven and a half years, the last 15 as Postmaster.
       We should have a good retirement but instead we are going 
     broke. Please consider what you are doing to the middle 
     class.

  To my GOP colleagues, as my constituent asked, it is not too late to 
reject the Republican Medicare cuts to pay for a tax break for the 
wealthy.

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