[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18955]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AND FAMILY HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, in the 10 years of Republican majority in 
the House, we have always put families first. We recognize that 
protecting our Nation's families means in part creating access to 
better health care, providing affordable prescription drugs to seniors 
and ensuring the best doctors and care for our children. These are 
critical and necessary commitments.
  In 1994, when Republicans took the majority, many of our citizens 
were being left behind without access to rapidly developing medical 
technology. Last year, we passed the most sweeping modernization to 
Medicare legislation since its creation in 1965. For the first time, 
our seniors now have a prescription drug benefit. Americans know that 
their parents and grandparents will be taken care of and that they are 
in safe hands.
  We have provided better options to our Nation's low-income families 
by making doctors' appointments and necessary checkups available 
through community health centers; 15 million families nationwide now 
have a place to count on for health care through these centers.
  America's families will always receive the best existing health care. 
Republicans recognize the importance of family health care, and we will 
continue to recognize it as a top priority in the future.

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