[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REPUBLICAN MEDICARE CURE IS WORSE THAN THE AILMENT

  (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues who come here to 
sound an alarm on Medicare, even though this alleged shortfall has 
already been known by CBO and they have taken it into account, although 
almost every year we have been responding within Ways and Means to make 
sure the Medicare fund stays solvent.
  The trouble with the Republican approach is that their cure has been 
far worse than the ailment, a heavy hit on seniors and providers to 
fund a tax cut for a very wealthy few. Their proposal gambles with the 
health of older Americans by excessive expenditure cuts and risky 
proposals.
  In contrast, the President has proposed a plan that would extend the 
solvency of the part A hospital insurance trust fund through the next 
decade without hurting seniors.
  What the Republicans are doing, sounding an alarm to put out a fire, 
they want to tear down the Medicare house The public rejected it last 
year. They will reject it again this year.

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