[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 6, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MEDICARE ENTITLEMENT REFORM

  (Mr. MILLER of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, during this election season, 
political candidates will address every issue in the room except for 
the 800-pound gorilla. Medicare is rapidly growing in our Federal 
budget.
  Just last week, Medicare trustees again reminded Congress that 
Medicare is projected to draw more than 45 percent of its funding from 
the general government revenue, as opposed to the Medicare trust fund.
  If Congress doesn't start to make some changes, the program will face 
over $34 trillion in unfunded obligations over the next 75 years, which 
is nearly seven times the size of outstanding public debt today. This 
rapid growth in Medicare expenditures is fiscally unsustainable.
  Mr. Speaker, both liberal and conservative policy analysts, along 
with the GAO, have been warning Congress of the much-needed entitlement 
reform. Who else must weigh in on the issue before Congress will start 
addressing comprehensive Medicare reform?




                          ____________________