[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3758]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESS MUST STEP IN TO EXTEND DEADLINE ON MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG 
                           PLAN REGISTRATION

  (Ms. BERKLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, if the Bush administration does not act 
within the next 2 months, seniors who sign up for the Medicare 
prescription drug plan will be severely penalized. In less than 60 
days, seniors who have not yet signed up for the plan will face a Bush 
Medicare drug tax for the rest of their lives.
  The President has shown no interest in extending this arbitrary 
deadline. If the President won't act, Congress must.
  House Democrats did not support this debacle of a prescription drug 
plan, but we don't want to see seniors penalized because the 
Republicans voted to create a confusing plan that most seniors believe 
won't work. Seniors need more time to make the right decision. They are 
understandably confused.
  If the President won't act, House Republicans must join us in 
extending the deadline for seniors to sign up for the new drug plan. 
Democrats have introduced legislation that would give seniors 6 
additional months to decide on the best plan for them. What is fair is 
fair. We simply cannot allow the Bush Medicare drug tax to take effect.

                          ____________________