[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 39 (Thursday, March 11, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICARE

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I hold in my hand a letter to the Speaker 
of the House imploring him to devote 15 percent of the budget surplus 
to strengthen Medicare. This letter has been signed by 201 Democrats. 
We speak with a unified message: Do not jeopardize Medicare for 
political tax breaks.
  In the most recent Republican budget, not one penny of the surplus is 
used to shore up Medicare. Medicare is projected to be bankrupt in the 
year 2008. That is only 9 years away. The Democratic plan to use 15 
percent of the surplus would extend the life of Medicare by a decade, 
giving us time to reform the program so that it endures the coming 
strain of the retiring baby boom generation and allows us to put a 
prescription drug benefit together.
  The Republican plan is irresponsible. It puts short-term political 
gain ahead of long-term fiscal responsibility and, in the process, 
jeopardizes seniors' health and their retirement security.
  Today 99 percent of America's seniors are covered by Medicare. Social 
Security and Medicare have combined to give our seniors independence, 
dignity and security in their retirement. Let us strengthen them and 
not dismantle them.

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