[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1798-H1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SAVING MEDICARE

  (Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today is an important day 
for my grandmother and my wife's grandmother and for many of the 
seniors that I have had a chance to meet over the last several years in 
my short career in politics. Today is important to them because this 
afternoon the Medicare trustees will meet and finally release the 
annual trustee report.
  This is a body of trustees appointed by the President. If recent 
trends hold true, the Medicare trust fund will be bankrupt within 4 or 
5 years; and when that happens, all of these seniors will lose their 
hospital coverage. My grandmother and my wife's grandmother asked me to 
promise them during the course of my campaign that I would not let that 
occur, and I aim to maintain that promise and uphold it.
  For 2 years, the Republicans have been fighting to save the trust 
fund. Our plan would actually increase Medicare spending by an average 
of 7\1/2\ percent per year from the $5,200 per recipient today to 
$7,100 by the year 2002.

[[Page H1799]]

 That rate of responsible growth is what is needed to, in fact, 
maintain the solvency of the trust fund.
  We also intend to offer choices and to restore the patient-physician 
relationship that has been lost by a large government, third-party 
payer system, which is going bankrupt unless we act now to save it.
  I urge my colleagues on the other side and the White House, as well, 
to join us in the effort.

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