[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 32 (Monday, August 14, 2000)]
[Pages 1848-1849]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the ``Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being'' 
Report

August 10, 2000

    Today I am pleased that a new study has been released that 
demonstrates that older Americans are healthier and prospering more than 
ever before. The findings of the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-
Related Statistics' report ``Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of 
Well-Being'' shows that that the life expectancy for Americans has 
increased by more than 20 years since 1990--women from 51 to 79 years 
old and men from 48 to 74 years old--and that the number of

[[Page 1849]]

older Americans living in poverty has decreased by nearly 25 percent 
since 1959.
    These trends reinforce that our efforts over the last 7 years to 
strengthen Medicare and Social Security, while also paying down the 
debt, have been successful. However, there is still a tremendous amount 
to be done to ensure the well-being of all older Americans, which is 
becoming more critical as the baby-boomers approach their senior years. 
By 2030, one in five Americans, 70 million people, will be 65 years of 
age or older.
    We need to prepare for the inevitable health and financial 
challenges that confront Medicare and Social Security. As an important 
first step in that direction, we should follow Vice President Gore's 
suggestion to take Medicare off budget. If we do, we will ensure that 
Medicare payroll taxes are only used for Medicare. We should also 
modernize and strengthen Medicare by making the program more competitive 
as well as providing for a long overdue and voluntary prescription drug 
benefit. I urge Congress to work this fall across party lines to improve 
our seniors' health security and pass these important reforms.