[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 77 (Thursday, May 30, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H5652-H5653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 GINGRICH-LED CONGRESS STILL DESIROUS OF CUTTING MEDICARE TO FUND TAX 
                                 BREAKS

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, our fellow citizens know this Gingrich 
Congress by its deeds, and first among these is its continuing desire 
to cut Medicare in order to fund the tax breaks for our most wealthy 
citizens.
  We saw a great deal of that last year as they proposed cuts of $270 
billion in a pay more, get less Medicare plan. And this year they have 
not given up on that determination, as the Speaker says, to let 
Medicare wither on the vine. They have just regrouped and are coming at 
it from another angle.

[[Page H5653]]

                              {time}  1045

  They have taken it step by step. Since it is an election year, they 
want to provide the tax break this year, hand out candy before the 
election, and next year come back with the full dimension of the 
Medicare cuts that will be necessary to pay for these election eve 
political tax breaks for the wealthy. The good indication that they 
still have their plan to cut Medicare on track is the budget resolution 
we have up tomorrow as they propose to have seniors pay for bills that 
they get from doctors above what Medicare pays.

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