[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15241]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, AND MEDICAID

  (Mr. CICILLINE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CICILLINE. Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare were created 
because they reflect the values of our country. We should be incredibly 
proud of these programs, which provide a vital safety net for our 
seniors, and we should commit ourselves to strengthening them.
  There are seniors like Rita Manley, in my district, who depend on 
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Rita is 82 years old, 
suffering from cancer. She lives in Central Falls, Rhode Island. She 
was recently laid off from her job at the Central Falls Housing 
Authority, and relies on Social Security for income and Medicare to 
cover her medication, which costs about $400 a month. Rita would not be 
able to afford her cancer medication without the support of Medicare.
  We should do everything we can to protect and strengthen Social 
Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for seniors like Rita all across this 
country. Our seniors deserve and have earned the benefits provided in 
these programs. They deserve to live their retirement years with 
dignity. We should not ask seniors to sacrifice benefits before asking 
the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations to pay their fair 
share.

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