[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11034]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  WE NEED A PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT

  (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, the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
was in session all night debating a prescription drug benefit for 
seniors. I am on that committee, and the biggest frustration we had was 
that all night we heard was that the Democratic plan for prescription 
drugs under Medicare or that 80 percent/20 percent, like doctors and 
hospitals, we do not have the money, we cannot afford it.
  Well, it is a matter of priorities. In 2001, we passed a huge tax 
cut, and it will be paid out over the next 10 years. So will a 
prescription drug benefit. It is a matter of priorities. The House 
Republicans set their priorities for tax cuts. That is fine. I like tax 
cuts, but I also know that we owe a debt to our seniors to make sure 
that they do not have to miss their prescriptions because they cannot 
afford it; they do not have to give up turning on their air conditioner 
in Houston, Texas, during the summer because they cannot afford their 
prescriptions.
  We need to take care of America's generation. We need to make sure we 
have our prescription drug benefit that will take care of the seniors 
who built this country.

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