[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 12 (Monday, March 29, 1999)]
[Page 515]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Legislation To Strengthen Medicare

March 24, 1999

    Today, the Senate Democrats introduced important amendments to 
address the major defect of the Republican budget: its complete failure 
to address Medicare. The majority's budget fails to set aside even one 
penny of the surplus to strengthen Medicare and does not extend its 
solvency by a single day. Yet, Medicare faces the same demographic 
challenges as Social Security and is projected to become insolvent even 
sooner. Instead of putting Medicare first, the Republican budget puts 
top priority on a tax cut that explodes in cost just at the time that 
baby boomers retire.
    I applaud Senate Democratic efforts to fix the Republican budget by 
putting a higher priority on strengthening Medicare and by making sure 
that any lock-box includes Medicare. I urge Congress not to miss this 
historic opportunity to strengthen Medicare.