[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 3026]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  PROTECTING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE FROM BIG GOVERNMENT SPENDERS

  (Mr. COOKSEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, senior citizens and all Americans deserve 
to know that Medicare and Social Security will be there when they need 
it. Yet for years, politicians in Washington have shortchanged Medicare 
and Social Security by spending these limited resources on wasteful, 
big government programs.
  The Social Security and Medicare Lockbox Act of 2001, which is H.R. 
2, would lock away all surpluses from the Social Security and Medicare 
Trust Fund. This bill locks up the $2.9 trillion surplus from the 
Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund. This was overwhelmingly passed 
by the House of Representatives in the last Congress. Yet it was 
stymied by the Democrats in the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a unique opportunity this year to provide 
meaningful tax relief for hardworking Americans while guaranteeing the 
Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds remain untouched. We have 
promised our seniors that Social Security and Medicare will be there 
for them. This lockbox legislation will help to deliver on that 
promise.

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