[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16926-16927]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    BIPARTISAN MEDICARE REFORM BILL

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, before we left for the Fourth of July 
recess, we passed historic legislation to improve Medicare, to 
strengthen Medicare, and to offer for the first time a prescription 
drug benefit through the Medicare Program for our seniors and 
individuals with disabilities. We worked hard in that endeavor to 
produce a bipartisan consensus, working together on both sides of the 
aisle, with this common mission, this common goal, and we succeeded.
  We were successful in passing a bipartisan bill that for the first 
time since 1965, in the history of Medicare, offers access to this new 
prescription drug benefit, and at the same time reforms, modernizes, 
and strengthens Medicare in a very significant way. Both individuals 
with disabilities and seniors collectively, 40 million people, will 
have health care coverage that in the future will be responsive to 
their needs in order to achieve that goal of health care security after 
the age of 65 or, if you are an individual with a disability, in the 
near future.

[[Page 16927]]

  It is responsive to them directly but also in a way that will allow 
the Medicare Program to take advantage of the great innovations in 
technology, in new prescription drugs that can make people's lives 
better, which will improve the quality of life.
  I mentioned the fact that this was bipartisan legislation. I think it 
is important that we showed a spirit of cooperation in taking on an 
issue many people in the United States thought would be too partisan 
and too political. We addressed it in a bipartisan fashion with the 
leadership of Chairman Grassley and Senator Baucus in a way that was 
reasoned, showed common sense, and that accomplished that goal of 
significant modernization while at the same time adding a new benefit. 
We identified the issue. We tackled it head on, and we delivered a bill 
that reflected the priorities of both sides of the aisle.
  That demonstrated to me, and I think to the American people, that 
even in a very evenly, closely divided Senate, if we share a common 
goal we can indeed move America forward on issues that are important to 
the American people.
  Coming back from recess, we will very shortly begin the conference 
where once again both sides of the aisle will work together, the Senate 
and the House, to fashion a final product that will be a resolution of 
the differences between that House and Senate bill. I am confident in 
that process we will have the same resolve and determination in meeting 
that goal, that we will be able to bridge those differences, and 
develop a strong bill that can be supported in a bipartisan way and 
signed by the President of the United States. Both Chambers are 
committed to accomplishing this, to doing it right, and to getting it 
done.


                      Presidential Trip to Africa

  I do want to comment on the President's trip to Africa. I commend 
President Bush for his bold leadership and his personal, as well as 
governmental--meaning the Senate, the House, and the executive branch--
commitment to the pressing needs of Africa. President Bush will be 
leaving this afternoon for Africa to see firsthand the opportunities, 
and indeed the challenges, that exist on that continent.
  Approximately once a year I have had the opportunity, since being in 
the Senate, to go to that continent, to a range of countries, several 
of which he will be going to. The countries I usually go to are the 
Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. He will visit a range of other 
countries.
  I think it is important for members of the executive branch as well 
as Members of this body and the House of Representatives to go 
firsthand and see the ravages that occur as a product of this little 
virus, HIV/AIDS, to see the impact of malaria, to see the impact of 
resistant tuberculosis and, at the same time, to look at the issues 
that surround the security of those nations as well as international 
security.
  The President's trip will highlight a positive, substantive agenda 
that the administration has put on the table. Part of that agenda and 
vision is this AIDS initiative which we addressed in the Senate a 
little over a month ago, a 5-year, $15 billion commitment that this 
body passed and was ultimately signed by the President. This global 
HIV/AIDS initiative is the largest international public health 
initiative on a single disease, a single entity, in the history of this 
country.
  I look forward to taking a delegation of U.S. Senators to Africa 
sometime in August--next month--to advance our collective effort in 
this regard.
  As I mentioned earlier in opening the Senate, we have a very 
challenging month ahead with medical liability, with energy, with the 
appropriations process, which will be well underway in a few days, with 
the judicial nominees, with State Department authorization. There is a 
lot to accomplish. I am confident we can meet the goals I set out this 
afternoon. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make this 
one of the most productive sessions thus far.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Roberts). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

                          ____________________