[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE

  (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, many Americans are surprised to learn that 
the President's budget proposal spends the Social Security surplus 
rather than put Social Security first.
  The President's proposal takes 38 percent of the surplus for Social 
Security and spends it, and that excludes his hidden tax increases, as 
if our taxes are not high enough already.
  The Republican proposal sets aside 100 percent of Social Security, 
100 percent of the Social Security Trust Fund. As many Americans are 
learning, the budget surplus this year is due to the surplus in the 
Social Security trust fund.
  Republicans propose to take 100 percent of the retirement surplus, 
the money coming from the FICA taxes, the payroll deductions, and set 
it aside for both Social Security, and also set aside all the money 
from payroll deductions for Medicare. Let me repeat that, Mr. Speaker. 
Medicare is included in our retirement surplus proposal. Our plan sets 
aside 100 percent of the retirement surplus for both Social Security 
and Medicare.
  Mr. Speaker, the ``Workhorse Congress'' is ahead of schedule and 
moving ahead to deal with Medicare and Social Security, which will be 
insolvent in over a decade unless we act to protect the Trust Funds 
now. Let us work together to protect Social Security and Medicare.

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