[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 44 (Thursday, April 1, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H1794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   BEWARE OF BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS BEARING MEDICARE BENEFITS

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, when the House voted on the Medicare bill, 
we and the American people were told its cost was $400 billion. Later, 
we found out that the Bush administration and congressional leaders 
knew all along it would cost actually $550 billion. What is a mere $150 
billion among friends?
  Not a single benefit has gone to a senior citizen, and the taxpayers 
are stuck with an additional $150 billion on top of the misappropriated 
$400 billion. Beware of Bush administration officials bearing Medicare 
benefits.
  Prescription drug costs have skyrocketed over the last several years, 
six times the rate of inflation. It is like a sale at Nieman Marcus: 
Prices are jacked up by 50 percent before the discount of 25 percent.
  In 2001, drug costs increased by 16 percent; in 2002, 18 percent; in 
2003, 19.5 percent. The prescription drug benefit will do nothing to 
protect senior citizens from skyrocketing cost increases.
  Instead of depending on a flawed Medicare law that punishes taxpayers 
and does little to help our senior citizens, we need to lower drug 
prices here in the United States by allowing competition and choice to 
exist in the market and allow people to buy their drugs in Canada and 
Europe where they are 50 percent cheaper than here in the United 
States.

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