[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 8, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SENIORS NEED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

  (Mr. GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, here we go again. Like Yogi Berra 
said, ``It is deja vu all over again.''
  The Republican majority is trying to convince the American people 
that they want to do something to provide prescription drug benefit for 
our Nation's seniors, but it is the same proposal that went nowhere 
last year. It is nothing but an election year proposal that will 
provide very little benefit to most seniors.
  This tiered proposal, leveled proposal, treats some seniors 
differently than others, despite the fact that all seniors have paid 
into the program and deserve a meaningful prescription drug benefit.
  I am in favor of providing real prescription drug benefits to 
seniors. If this proposal is going to work, we need a benefit that is 
good for all seniors, not just a few. Unfortunately, the Republican 
plan will not help middle income seniors who have only moderate drug 
costs. Their plan is unworkable. Even the insurance industry says that 
insurance will not go for it. So what we have here is a plan that the 
seniors will not like, the insurance companies will not like, and the 
public will be able to see through. And even members of my Republican 
colleagues' party have mentioned that this bill is not a good proposal.
  Let us stop playing games with seniors' lives. It is time to provide 
a meaningful, generous benefit that actually does something to address 
the prescription drug problem.

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