[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2010]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WE MUST ACT NOW TO REFORM MEDICARE

  (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, I realize that the administration 
is far too busy with all of their lawyers trying to figure out a way to 
handle all the campaign laws they overlooked to show some leadership on 
the Medicare issue. I know that would be asking too much. So while the 
administration is busy with all of their lawyers, this Congress must 
lead the way on Medicare.
  The Medicare trustees released their annual report to the American 
people last week. The trust fund is going bankrupt, probably in only 4 
years. The report confirms what Republicans have been saying about 
Medicare for the last 2 years. The trustees state that failure to fund 
Medicare will result in certain bankruptcy in the year 2001. None of 
this is new. Every single Member of Congress has known this for several 
years.
  I call on those who are more interested in saving Medicare from 
bankruptcy than in playing politics with seniors to join in our effort 
to reform Medicare. We must act now.

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