[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 17, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H3185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1100
          ALL SENIORS SHOULD HAVE A PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, our seniors are facing skyrocketing prices 
for their prescription drugs. They are scared. For millions of seniors, 
a prescription drug benefit is the difference between getting the 
medicine they need for their health and what they need to do in order 
to pay mortgages, what they need to pay rent, what they need to do to 
pay for food. That is what the decisions are that our seniors are 
making today. They are forced to choose between purchasing that 
medication and buying groceries.
  The problem with prescription drug coverage does not just affect one 
group of seniors. The Republican plan for prescription drugs is to 
focus on low income seniors, not all seniors. What we need to do is to 
cover all seniors with a prescription drug benefit. Prices are 
skyrocketing out of control. According to a recent study by Families 
USA, the price of the 50 prescription drugs most frequently used by 
seniors rose by twice the rate of inflation in 1999.
  Between 1993 and 1998, the price of the average prescription rose 40 
percent. The situation imperils our seniors. Let us make sure that all 
of our seniors are covered for prescription drug coverage.

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