[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11202]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are telling us repeatedly 
that seniors deserve better prescription drug options like those 
available to Members of Congress. I wholeheartedly agree, but it is 
difficult to see how a Republican plan that requires seniors to go 
outside of Medicare and purchase inferior HMO-like private drug 
insurance would deliver such coverage.
  According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the 
Republican plan is 40 percent less valuable than the coverage offered 
to Members of Congress. During last week's markup, I offered an 
amendment that would have replaced the standard coverage in the 
Republican bill with the same coverage under the Federal health 
benefits program that Members of Congress receive. But the night before 
our amendment was offered, Republicans adjourned early so they could 
attend a $30 million fund-raising dinner underwritten by America's drug 
companies. The CEO of GlaxoWellcome, a British pharmaceutical company, 
gave $200,000 to the GOP that night and chaired the event.
  When the markup resumed the next day, it came as no surprise when 
Republicans voted the amendment down, meaning this week Congress will 
be forced to vote on legislation that will give seniors less than 
Members of Congress have.

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