[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 12, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SAVE THE AMERICAN DREAM

  (Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, while there are some significant 
differences between the Republican Balanced Budget Act of 1995 and 
President Clinton's unbalanced budget act of 1995, both sides in the 
debate agree that we should spend significantly more on Medicare each 
year.
  Now, the difference between the increased spending in President 
Clinton's budget and our budget over the next 7 years is, get this, 
less than 2 percent. So where is the fight?
  Under the Republican budget, Medicare spending grows from $178 
billion to $289 billion by the year 2002, and spending per senior grows 
from $4,800 to $7,100 by the year 2002.
  Under the President's budget, Medicare spending starts out at $178 
billion, just like under the Republican plan, and increases to $294 
billion by the year 2002. Spending per senior citizen increases from 
$4,800, again just like the Republican budget, up to $7,245, a pinch 
less than 2 percent over the Republican plan. So again I ask, where is 
the beef? Where is the problem?
  Mr. Speaker, it is time that the President stop using imaginary 
Medicare spending cuts as an excuse for not balancing this budget. It 
is time for him to help the Republican majority put our House in order 
and save the American dream for the next generation.

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