[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book II)]
[June 29, 2000]
[Pages 1347-1348]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Senate Action To Protect Medicare Surpluses
June 29, 2000

    I am pleased that the Senate followed the leadership of Vice 
President Gore by agreeing to lock away 
Medicare surpluses for debt reduction to help prepare for Medicare's 
future challenges. Before we make any other major budget decisions this 
year, we should agree that Medicare funds should not be used to finance 
tax cuts or other spending. Walling off Medicare

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will further strengthen our fiscal discipline by locking in $400 billion 
of additional debt reduction and help keep our economy strong. The 
Conrad-Lautenberg amendment passed by the Senate today would truly 
protect Medicare and enhance our fiscal discipline. This amendment takes 
Medicare fully off budget, as the Vice President proposed, and as we 
have done with Social Security. I look forward to working with Congress 
on a Medicare off-budget lockbox bill that I can sign this summer.
    Earlier this week, I made an offer for bipartisan cooperation on 
America's priorities. I called for establishing a foundation of fiscal 
discipline--the Conrad-Lautenberg amendment would accomplish that. I 
urge Congress to pass a plan that gives real, voluntary Medicare 
prescription drug coverage that is available and affordable for all 
seniors. Only if Congress does this, would I then be willing to sign 
broader marriage penalty relief legislation.