[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 52 (Thursday, April 15, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H2060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICARE

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Madam Speaker, normally when I hear people 
talk about March madness, I assume they are talking about the NCAA 
college basketball tournament. However, this year I am afraid this 
expression is better applied to Democrat party plans to actually expand 
an entitlement that is already going bankrupt. This is clearly an 
example of political madness.
  The fact is, Congress worked together with the President last year to 
take the first step toward reforming a program that was within 4 years, 
just 4 years, Madam Speaker, of going bankrupt.
  The reforms we passed together on a bipartisan basis, although 
essential, merely postponed Medicare bankruptcy until the year 2010. It 
is around 2010 that baby boomer bankruptcy is going to hit big time. If 
this madness persists, we can kiss talk of budget surpluses good-bye, 
we can forget about proposing any new government programs, and worst of 
all, we can forget about giving the middle class some long overdue tax 
relief. It is now April. This March madness talk of expanding Medicare 
must end.

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