[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           MEDICARE EXPANSION

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am here to announce that the 
Democratic Caucus stands for the do-something Congress and we are going 
to lead this Congress to do something for the American people. That is 
why I am very proud that we have recognized that there are those 
Americans who do not have health insurance, hardworking Americans, 55 
years to under 65 years, who for a long time have worked in their 
community, worked very hard, but for some reason have fallen upon hard 
times. Maybe they have lost their job, maybe they are suffering from 
heart disease, strokes and cancer which falls highly among people from 
45 to 54.
  This bill that the Democratic Caucus is supporting along with the 
President of the United States is very fair and reasonable and rational 
and it makes a lot of good sense. That is, to allow those aged 55 to 65 
to buy into insurance, particularly the Medicare insurance. It allows 
those individuals to pay no more than 125 percent.
  Why do we need that? Just last year we passed a portability bill 
where you could pass your insurance on once you moved to another 
employer. That does not work. We need to have this bill.

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