[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8436]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           SENIOR SAFETY NET

  (Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, after a lifetime of service to their families 
and our Nation, America's seniors deserve the security of a basic 
safety net like Medicare and Social Security. Sadly, the Republican 
budget that the House approved in April puts fundamental programs at 
risk. The Republican budget will end guaranteed Medicare coverage for 
seniors, I state, end guaranteed Medicare coverage for seniors; cut 
benefits and turn control over to the insurance industry; and double 
out-of-pocket costs for seniors over the next decade.
  From day one, the Republican plan to end Medicare will toss 4 million 
seniors into the prescription drug doughnut hole. And from day one, 
seniors across the Nation will have their copays reinstated for their 
annual wellness visit.
  Seniors in my district understand that we must lower the deficit, but 
it should not be on the backs of the poor or the disadvantaged. But 
they also know that it is wrong to end Medicare so we can extend the 
tax breaks for the millionaires and billionaires. Let's work together 
on a real budget and lower the deficit.

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