[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20092]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    ANNIVERSARY OF THE MEDICARE ACT

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I am going to come back later today and 
comment on the fact that today is the anniversary of Medicare. I know 
we want to move on to the pending bill. It was a historic day in 1965. 
On this day, President Johnson took the historic and bold action of 
signing Medicare into law.
  Since that time, Medicare has helped millions of seniors cover their 
health care needs, but Medicare, in 1965, was designed to treat 
episodic illness and did not include the most powerful tool in medicine 
today--prescription drugs.
  I mention this only because we have an opportunity before us, this 
body already having spoken its will in passing a comprehensive Medicare 
reform bill that strengthens and improves Medicare and includes 
prescription drugs. The House has done likewise. We are currently in 
conference. By working in conference, we will greatly strengthen and 
improve Medicare. Over the course of the day, I know there will be 
other statements, but there will also be a service and a statement 
about Medicare at the White House later today.
  We have a great opportunity before us. I wish to share with my 
colleagues that the conference is going well and sometime after we come 
back from the recess, we will have a bill to bring back to this body.
  Mr. REID. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. FRIST. Yes.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I say not only did President Johnson sign 
that extraordinary bill--38 years ago?
  Mr. FRIST. Yes, 1965; 38 years ago.
  Mr. REID. As soon as he signed the bill, Congress went out of 
session. That was a good example.
  Mr. FRIST. Well said.

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