[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 28269]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             REPUBLICAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN IS CONFUSING

  (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, after this week we will be adjourning, we are 
told, for about 6 weeks or more in order to accommodate the court 
schedule in Texas. There are, therefore, some things that we should get 
done this week.
  Many of us opposed the Republican Medicare prescription drug bill 
because we thought it was a mess. At least we want it to succeed as 
best it can for the seniors, but it is so confusing that not even the 
Bush administration is able to get out the proper information to the 
very seniors who must make a decision about which plan to choose.
  Seniors want help with their ever-increasing prescription drug costs, 
but they have voiced frustration and confusion over the law that the 
Republicans passed.
  The administration has distributed inaccurate and incomplete 
information, and Republicans want to penalize any senior who does not 
sign up for a prescription drug plan by May 15.
  Congress should not leave town without giving the seniors at least an 
additional 6 months to help make a decision that they can live with, 
that can give them at least some help with their prescription drug 
costs.

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