[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN FOR OUR SENIORS

  (Mrs. CAPITO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, we most certainly today are going to be 
making very important decisions concerning the situation in Iraq. But 
Friday is the self-imposed deadline of the Medicare conference. We all 
need to make a concerted effort to work towards pushing this important 
legislation of a prescription drug plan for our seniors through 
Medicare through this Congress.
  This is an opportune time for movement forward to improve our 
Nation's Medicare system. With the rising price of prescription drugs, 
preventive care and innovative medical technologies, we need to make 
sure that our seniors are able to access these privileges. Medicare 
needs to be reformed now so that these seniors who need assistance 
paying for prescription drugs will receive it.
  I urge my colleagues serving on the conference committee to rise 
above partisanship so we can deliver to America's seniors a 
prescription drug benefit. The time is now. We are closer than ever. It 
is time to deliver the prescription drug plan to our seniors through 
Medicare.

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