[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 85 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H5442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE MISSED

  (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, yesterday we missed a golden opportunity to 
make prescription drugs more affordable for America's seniors. We 
passed a sham Republican leadership bill that fails to give all the 
seniors the Medicare prescription drug coverage that they so richly 
deserve.
  We need to have a prescription drug benefit that is affordable, that 
gives doctors the right to prescribe medications, that addresses 
soaring costs; and yet the proposal yesterday does not accomplish any 
of those goals. It does not cover all seniors, it does not give doctors 
and seniors the right to choose the best medications, and it does 
nothing to address the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs.
  The Democratic plan would provide American seniors with an 
affordable, voluntary, and reliable prescription drug coverage. The 
plan is firmly rooted in the Medicare program that seniors know and 
that they trust. In contrast, the Republican plan is complex, and it is 
built on an already failing HMO system.
  The Republican leadership forced through this plan that gives seniors 
false promises and false hopes. It might be the right remedy for the 
insurance companies, but it certainly is the wrong remedy for America's 
seniors.

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