[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13073]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MEDICARE'S 48TH BIRTHDAY

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 1, 2013

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the 48 years 
of Medicare's existence.
  The benefits Medicare has brought to older Americans are almost 
boundless. Millions of Americans have lived longer, more productive, 
healthier lives because of the medical care they received under this 
program. Many would have incurred financial ruin, suffered needlessly 
and died prematurely otherwise.
  I voted for Medicare during my first summer as a congressman, back in 
1965, during a time that was very different from the America of today.
  For several years, President Lyndon Johnson had been calling for 
Congressional action to address the overwhelming need to extend medical 
care to all seniors, as only half of older adults had any health 
insurance during that era.
  Responding to President Johnson's call for a Medicare bill, and 
following my own convictions, I joined with Rep. Cecil King of 
California and introduced in January of 1965, as my very first piece of 
legislation, a bill that would have provided hospital care under Social 
Security and an increase of benefits.
  I said, at the time, ``Our senior citizens have far too long been 
neglected in this the most prosperous of societies on earth. Many of 
them, after leading productive lives prior to their twilight years, 
have been so overburdened with medical costs that they have been denied 
the rewards that should come with retirement.''
  We have five decades of evidence that indicates the solution to our 
nation's healthcare crisis isn't cutting Medicare. It's strengthening 
Medicare and expanding it to cover everyone.
  However the Affordable Care Act ultimately plays out, we know two 
things for certain: Millions of Americans will remain uncovered and the 
for-profit insurance industry will remain in charge of prices and life-
and-death treatment decisions. The only way to ensure everyone is 
covered is with Medicare-for-All, single payer system.
  The richest country in the history of humanity has a moral obligation 
to cover all of its inhabitants with health care coverage. We believe 
health care is a right, and should not be treated as a benefit reserved 
for the privileged.
  Mr. Speaker, today, as we celebrate Medicare's birthday, I urge 
Congress to fulfill Medicare's promise and enact H.R. 676, single-payer 
legislation and enshrine health care as a fundamental right recognized 
by our great nation.

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