[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 177 (Thursday, November 9, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H11978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REPUBLICANS' NEW YEAR'S CARD TO AMERICA

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, our Republican friends began shouting 
``Happy New Year'' a little early last night. ``Happy New Year'' to 
everybody in this country who relies on Medicare, because come January 
there will be a New Year's card from our Republican friends. It is 
called an increase in Medicare premiums that every person who relies on 
Medicare will have to pay.
  Mr. Speaker, if Americans are sitting out there saying, ``It does not 
make any difference to me. I am not on Medicare,'' they need to think 
again and look at the reports from this week. Economists in Washington 
and business representatives warn that millions of working people and 
their employers could end up paying more for health care and that many 
people who work for small businesses could lose their insurance 
altogether as a result of this harsh, backward Republican cut of 
Medicare.
  Indeed, one independent study reports that employers would require 
their employees to absorb much of the increased costs in the form of 
reduced wages, truncated or denied pay increases, or less generous 
health coverage.
  Half a million people will lose their insurance coverage altogether. 
That is the result of the Republican New Year's present to America: A 
cut in Medicare, a hike in premiums.

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