[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H5822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MEDICARE GOING BANKRUPT FASTER THAN EXPECTED

  (Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, the 1996 Medicare trustees' 
report is expected to be released today and all indications are the 
news will be worse than last year's report--Medicare is going bankrupt 
faster and sooner than expected.
  In late April, the Congressional Budget Office released data that 
showed while the 1995 trustee's report predicted a $5 billion surplus 
in 2002, the fund is now expected to be $86 billion in the hole. The 
Republican majority passed a plan to simplify and strengthen Medicare 
and fight waste and fraud, all while increasing Medicare spending. But 
with the flash of his veto-happy pen, President Clinton killed these 
Medicare reforms.
  In just a year's time, President Clinton's choice to mislead 
America's seniors through demagoguery and campaign scare tactics has 
resulted in a multibillion-dollar Mediscare shortfall. Shame on him.

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