[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 26 (Monday, July 3, 2000)]
[Page 1531]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on House Action on Private Insurance Prescription Coverage 
Legislation

June 28, 2000

    Tonight, in a partisan vote, the Republican leadership succeeded in 
passing a flawed, unworkable private insurance prescription benefit that 
provides more political cover than insurance coverage for our Nation's 
seniors. If this unworkable private prescription drug benefit passes the 
Congress, I will veto it. The legislation was designed to benefit the 
companies who make prescription drugs, not the older Americans and 
people with disabilities who need to take them. It puts special 
interests above the public interests. I urge the Congress to work across 
party lines and develop a bipartisan bill that ensures an affordable, 
available, and meaningful Medicare prescription drug benefit option for 
all seniors.