[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 22, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H4376]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           RESPECTING SENIORS

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, our seniors need Medicare. As we prepare 
to celebrate its 46th anniversary next month, history shows Medicare 
has been one of the most successful health care programs in our Nation. 
Seniors rely on it. But my Republican colleagues, sadly, want to end 
Medicare as we know it.
  Missouri's own Harry Truman conceived of Medicare and was the 
recipient of the first Medicare card in 1965 as it was signed into law 
by LBJ. At the time, 40 percent of American seniors over 65 lived at or 
below the poverty level. Now, more than 40 million seniors in America 
are enrolled in Medicare, including 1 million Missourians, and the 
poverty rate for seniors has dropped to only 10 percent.
  The Republican plan is to reopen the doughnut hole, double seniors' 
medical expenses, and give insurance companies the power to ration 
care. We cannot let this happen. Everyone agrees we must make serious 
cuts to lower our debt, but we have to take a balanced approach that 
doesn't threaten the fragile recovery or scapegoat American seniors.
  I ask my colleagues to set our differences aside and have a serious 
conversation about our debt that respects what seniors need and 
deserve.

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