[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20665]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      CONGRESS MUST WORK TO PAY OFF THE PUBLIC DEBT AND PROVIDE A 
                  PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT TO SENIORS

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, in this time of great 
prosperity, it is imperative that Congress works to pay off the public 
debt and provide a prescription drug benefit for all seniors.
  The Nation has a public debt of over $3 trillion. However, in the 
last 3 years, Republicans have paid down $354 billion in public debt 
and are on track to completely pay off this part of the national debt 
by 2012.
  Republicans are committed to using 90 percent of next year's budget 
surplus to pay off the public debt, while locking away 100 percent of 
the social security and Medicare surpluses.
  While we remain the most prosperous Nation in the world, the sad 
reality is that there are still some seniors who have to choose between 
putting food on the table and the prescription drugs they need to live 
healthy lives. Mr. Speaker, that is not fair.
  When we passed a prescription drug benefit that was voluntary, 
available, and affordable for all seniors, the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Gephardt) and the Democrats walked out on seniors. That is not 
right. Republicans will not walk out on seniors, and will continue to 
work to find a bipartisan solution to reducing the cost of prescription 
drugs while working to pay off our public debt.

                          ____________________