[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13686]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        MEDICARE'S 49TH BIRTHDAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. DeSantis). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, I rise today to 
celebrate the 49th anniversary of the Medicare bill. The impact of 
Medicare on the lives of millions of Americans over the past 49 years 
has been extraordinary. As a result of this program, Mr. Speaker, 
millions of Americans have lived longer, more productive, and healthier 
lives.
  I am very fortunate and honored to be able to say that I was one of 
the few Members still here who cast a vote for Medicare in 1965. 
Earlier that year, I joined with the gentleman from California, Cecil 
King, and I introduced, as my very first piece of legislation, a bill 
that would have provided health care under Social Security and an 
increase of benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, I said at that time:

       Our senior citizens have far too long been neglected in 
     this, the most prosperous society 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.

  I am proud to say that in my nearly five decades since the enactment 
of Medicare, the program has accomplished its mission of providing 
retirement security for America's seniors and care for those suffering 
from disabilities and debilitating diseases; yet Medicare continues to 
face threats from some of the same opponents that have opposed its 
enactment back in 1965.
  They continue to seek to cut Medicare's guaranteed benefits and push 
seniors into private plans, which value profits over health outcomes.

                              {time}  1930

  Today we present another path forward, one in which Medicare's 
benefits are protected by expanding health care security and insurance 
coverage to more Americans, not fewer.
  Since 2003, I have introduced H.R. 676, the Expanded and Improved 
Medicare for All Act, which would create a national publicly funded, 
privately delivered single-payer health care system. Studies have shown 
that enacting H.R. 676 would save nearly a half trillion dollars by 
slashing the administrative waste associated with the private health 
care system.
  Another $100 billion would be saved by using the purchasing power of 
the Federal Government to reduce pharmaceutical prices to the levels 
that exist in other industrialized nations.
  Lastly, by slowing the growth of health care costs, H.R. 676 would 
save $5 trillion over the next decade, thereby ensuring that the 
guarantee of affordable public health insurance will be there to be 
enjoyed by future generations.
  And so for all of these reasons, H.R. 676 is one of my most important 
pieces of legislation in my way of thinking, and I am proud that it now 
has 60 cosponsors. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts 
(Ms. Clark) for being the 60th sponsor. But I would be remiss if I did 
not reiterate my strong support for President Obama's landmark health 
care legislation, the Affordable Care Act.
  The Affordable Care Act's results speak for themselves. As of this 
month, the percentage of uninsured Americans is now the lowest on 
record. The Affordable Care Act has protected as many as 129 million 
Americans with preexisting conditions from being denied health care 
coverage or being charged higher premiums. It has provided free 
preventive health care services such as mammograms, birth control, and 
immunizations to the 100 million Americans who are on private insurance 
or Medicare. Around 60 million Americans have gained expanded mental 
health benefits. And since the Affordable Care Act was enacted, almost 
8 million seniors have saved nearly $10 billion on prescription drugs 
as the health care law closes Medicare's doughnut hole.
  But, as with any complex law, implementation can be difficult and 
there will be unforeseen issues. Those issues have been seized by some 
opponents against expanding health care who hope to eliminate health 
insurance for those who cannot afford it. This is unacceptable.
  While we must continue to defend the Affordable Care Act, we must 
also work to ensure that any future changes to the Affordable Care Act 
take us in the direction of the universal health care enjoyed by 
virtually all of the citizens of other industrialized countries.
  I hope Members of Congress and the American public will join me to 
fight for a day when, in the wealthiest country on Earth, no one has to 
suffer and die unnecessarily because their health care system 
prioritizes corporate profits over their health.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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