[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3435]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       SAVE OUR AMERICAN TREASURES: MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

  (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, this is a good day. I am glad the 
debate is on tax cuts versus Social Security and Medicare and paying 
down our national debt. Medicare and Social Security are two of the 
greatest, most effective programs our country has ever created. They 
provide the two fundamental keys to retirement security: medical and 
financial security.
  Mr. Speaker, this Congress has the responsibility to every American, 
past, present and future, to save these national treasures.
  The good news is that we have the opportunity to ensure the long-term 
stability of these programs. The bad news will only come if people try 
to politicize the programs or, worse yet, dismantle them. We can 
strengthen Social Security, Medicare and pay down the debt. They are 
popular with the American people for the simple reason that they work.
  Mr. Speaker, let us work together to strengthen Medicare and Social 
Security. Social Security and Medicare are needed for the current 
seniors, the baby boomers, and our children and our grandchildren.

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