[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19936]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 19936]]

                  MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, after fighting tooth and nail against 
Democratic efforts to provide seniors with prescription drug coverage, 
the Republican leadership now appears willing to make a small 
concession. They will agree to let pharmacies buy drugs from Canada for 
sale to U.S. citizens. This is the bipartisan crumb that may be given 
to seniors by the 106th Congress.
  The Republican leadership believes that if they govern as Republicans 
for 22 months, they can win elections by talking like Democrats for the 
last 2.
  Governor Bush barely mentioned the words ``prescription drugs'' 
during the primary season. Now he says he has a plan, but it will not 
help middle-income seniors with huge drug bills. He says that Medicare 
is a government HMO. It is not. It is reliable. Medicare does not pick 
up and leave a State if it is not making money.
  It is cost effective. Medicare has 3 percent administrative costs 
instead of 30 percent for the private insurance companies. It is fair. 
Medicare covers all seniors, not just a few.
  A Medicare prescription drug benefit with negotiated lower prices for 
all seniors, that is the Democratic promise.

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