[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            THE ECONOMY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND MEDICARE PREMIUMS

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, let us clear the air. As President Bush 
crisscrosses the country touting the state of our economy, it is time 
for a reality check: 1.7 million jobs have been lost under this 
President's watch; 1.4 million people lost their health insurance last 
year; and 4.3 million people, 4.3 million people, have slipped into 
poverty.
  In my district in East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley, 30,000 
people are looking for work, 24,000 people are now living in poverty, 
and one out of every three residents lacks health insurance in my 
district. Eight million Americans are looking for work.
  Now the Bush administration has announced an $11.60 increase in 
Medicare premiums. For seniors in my district, that makes a difference. 
That means they may not be able to afford food and clothing; $11 is a 
big deal for people in my district.
  Democrats have a plan to cut taxes for middle-class families, protect 
overtime, and provide incentives for businesses. It is time for us to 
change the President.

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