[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 23 (Monday, February 26, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE LOCK-BOX ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 13, 2001

  Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the principles 
underlying H.R. 2--that Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds should 
not be used for any purpose other than funding the retirement or health 
care needs of our seniors. This bill takes a large step towards 
maintaining fiscal discipline by recognizing that Social Security and 
Medicare trust funds should be off the table when Congress considers 
tax and spending legislation.
  This effort is particularly courageous since the administration 
opposes efforts to preserve Medicare trust funds for the health 
security needs of our seniors. During his confirmation hearing, OMB 
Director, Mitch Daniels, stated that he ``would be very hesitant to see 
us treat [Medicare] funds the same way we do Social Security.'' I 
applaud the majority's recognition of the fact that both programs face 
a demographic crisis as the baby boomers get older, and that both 
programs deserve to be protected to fund our commitments to them in the 
future.
  Medicare's financial condition is actually more serious than that of 
Social Security. The Medicare trust fund is projected to become 
insolvent in 2025, whereas the Social Security Trust fund will remain 
solvent until 2037. This highlights the importance of preventing 
Medicare surpluses from being used for any other purpose than 
protecting Medicare; this includes financing a prescription drug 
benefit or any revenue reducing policy with trust fund reserves--
whether they come from Social Security or Medicare. This means that 
every member who votes for this bill today is serving notice that they 
will not use Social Security or Medicare trust funds for any purpose 
other than funding or reforming these programs.
  Mr. Speaker, while I applaud the majority's commitment to this cause, 
I am concerned that the bill before us today contains a large loophole 
that would allow the Medicare and Social Security surpluses to be spent 
for any purpose so long as it is labeled ``reform.'' For the record, I 
want to be clear that the term ``reform'' does not and should not 
include new programs such as, providing a prescription drug benefit 
under Medicare or dismantling the Social Security safety net with 
private accounts. I also want to be clear that if Members vote for this 
bill, they are voting to prevent new programs labeled reform from 
crowding out Social Security and Medicare surpluses to make room for 
other revenue-reducing initiatives.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, while I am encouraged with the majority's 
commitment to this cause, I am disappointed in the manner in which this 
bill is being considered today. The future of the Social Security and 
Medicare surpluses is a complicated and serious matter that deserves a 
full, free and honest discussion of the issue and alternative ways to 
solve the problem. Rather than allowing this exchange of ideas, the 
majority circumvented committee consideration of this issue, instead 
rushing the bill to the floor under expedited rules that allow only an 
hour of debate and no opportunity for amendment.
  Allowing members to have a voice in this process could have corrected 
the loophole in the present bill. To be sure, Representative Ross and I 
have recently introduced legislation that would correct this problem by 
entirely preventing the use of Social Security and Medicare trust 
funds--except for their intended purpose.

                          ____________________