Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 149 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2003 No. 140 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was land, as a member of the Social Secu- strophic protection because of their in- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- rity Advisory Board for a six-year come. Means testing the catastrophic pore (Mr. ADERHOLT). term. protection will force many seniors to f The message also announced that pay more for their drug coverage. DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO pursuant to Public Law 99–498, the This provision in the House Repub- TEMPORE Chair, on behalf of the President pro lican Medicare legislation for the first tempore, appoints Rene Drouin, of New time in the history of Medicare taxes The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- Hampshire, vice Charles Terrell, of middle class, or I should say the middle fore the House the following commu- Massachusetts, to the Advisory Com- class seniors, twice for their benefits. nication from the Speaker: mittee on Student Financial Assist- Today Medicare is available to all who WASHINGTON, DC, ance for a three-year term. are eligible. Everyone pays the same October 7, 2003. f percentage in payroll taxes and gets I hereby appoint the Honorable ROBERT B. ADERHOLT to act as Speaker pro tempore on MORNING HOUR DEBATES the same benefits out. Universality is the central theme of the Medicare pro- this day. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- gram, and all Americans who con- J. DENNIS HASTERT, ant to the order of the House of Janu- Speaker of the House of Representatives. tribute taxes during their working ary 7, 2003, the Chair will now recog- f years are eligible for the full package nize Members from lists submitted by of Medicare benefits when they retire. MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE the majority and minority leaders for The House Republicans, however, are A message from the Senate by Mr. morning hour debates. The Chair will taking the first steps to turning Medi- Monahan, one of its clerks, announced alternate recognition between the par- care into what is essentially or what that the Senate has passed without ties, with each party limited to not to could become a welfare program, mak- amendment a bill and a concurrent res- exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, ing higher-income seniors pay more for olution of the House of the following except the majority leader, the minor- their Medicare benefits. What this titles: ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- amounts to is an additional Medicare H.R. 2152. An act to amend the Immigra- ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. tax on higher-income seniors who have tion and Nationality Act to extend for an ad- The Chair recognizes the gentleman already paid more money in Medicare ditional 5 years the special immigrant reli- from New Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) for 5 taxes because of their higher earnings. gious worker program. minutes. H. Con. Res. 282. Concurrent resolution Now they are getting hit again through honoring the life of Johnny Cash. f this drug benefit and are being asked The message was announced that the THE HARM OF MEANS TESTING to pay another tax to pay more money Senate has passed a bill and a concur- THE MEDICARE PROGRAM for their drugs than other seniors. rent resolution of the following titles Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise on They basically are paying twice for in which the concurrence of the House the House floor to express my concern their benefits. Keep in mind that in is requested: regarding an agreement that is being many localities a $60,000 income does S. 1642. An act to extend the duration of sought by the Medicare conference not make you wealthy, and that once the immigrant investor regional center pilot committee on means testing the Medi- the precedent is set, there will likely program for 5 additional years, and for other care program. Accepting a provision be a domino effect with the cutoff purposes. that will allow means testing of Medi- reaching lower and lower, affecting S. Con. Res. 66. Concurrent resolution com- mending the National Endowment for De- care beneficiaries will in time only more and more middle class seniors. mocracy for its contributions to democratic lead to the destruction of the Medicare Right now the Republicans are talking development around the world on the occa- program that seniors rely on and that $60,000, but that could change to $50,000 sion of the 20th anniversary of the establish- we as Democrats have worked on pre- or $40,000; and as it goes down, more ment of the National Endowment for Democ- serving since its days of inception middle income seniors will be im- racy. nearly 40 years ago. pacted. The message also announced that The House Republican bill means It is unclear how the provision in the pursuant to Public Law 103–296, the tests the protection against high drug House Republican bill is going to work, Chair, on behalf of the President pro costs. Seniors who earn more than or whether it will even work. The tempore, and in consultation with the $60,000, or $120,000 for couples, will not Medicare administrator will send the Chairman and the Ranking Minority have the $4,900 catastrophic protection, names of seniors to the IRS, and the Member of the Finance Committee, ap- and instead they will have to pay more IRS will send back the senior’s income points Sylvester J. Schieber, of Mary- out of pocket before they get cata- for the previous year. Medicare will b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H9219 . VerDate jul 14 2003 04:38 Oct 08, 2003 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A07OC7.000 H07PT1 H9220 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 7, 2003 then send this very private information b 1400 terms of defense of the homeland.’’ No to private health insurance companies, nation would sit by as their civilians and seniors’ confidential information AFTER RECESS are killed and terrorized, and Israel has will be sent all across the country, a The recess having expired, the House a duty to protect its people. Palestin- situation ripe for abuse. was called to order by the Speaker pro ians that desire peace must work to Medicare currently does not means tempore (Mr. HEFLEY) at 2 p.m. dismantle the terror networks, and so test benefits, and it does not have staff f must the people of Syria. As United to deal with this complicated matter. States U.N. Ambassador John The Republican bill will increase gov- PRAYER Negroponte said, ‘‘Syria is on the ernment bureaucracy in both Medicare The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. wrong side of the War on Terrorism.’’ and the IRS to administer the provi- Coughlin, offered the following prayer: Syria has harbored and supported ter- sion. And under the Republican bill, Blessed are You, Lord, God of mercy. rorists and this must end. Medicare is supposed to have a process Throughout the ages You have sus- Israel is in the midst of a battle in for seniors who have seen their in- tained and guided Your people. In the the War on Terrorism and America comes decline to come in and get an darkest hours You have come to our stands with her. adjustment; and because we know sen- aid. In the bright shining moments of In conclusion, God bless our troops. iors’ income declines as they age, our history Your love and goodness f Medicare would need to be able to deal have flourished. IMMIGRANT WORKERS FREEDOM with millions of people coming in every Guide the Nation at this moment in RIDE year to have their income information history. Strengthen the Members of reevaluated. this, the people’s House. May they be (Mr. FILNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 Mr. Speaker, private plans will have forthright and defiant against evil and minute. a hard time administering this means accomplish what is best for Your peo- Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, when I test provision as well. They will have ple. was a college student over 40 years ago, different catastrophic levels for every In time of need may they prove I was one of the first Freedom Riders senior making above $60,000 in income. themselves Your servants. in Mississippi. With fellow students, we More importantly, with this income in- This we pray, in this we trust, now went to jail to spotlight for Americans formation, the provision to allow and forever. the injustice and inhumanity of racial means testing of catastrophic levels Amen. segregation. will also enable plans to risk-select and f Last week as a Congressman, I was pick out other seniors to be in their able to meet and make personal the plans. Private insurance companies THE JOURNAL historical connection with the Immi- will have incentives to seek out only The SPEAKER pro tempore. The grant Workers Freedom Ride. Tens of higher-income seniors to make their Chair has examined the Journal of the thousands of immigrants rode across premiums lower. Because higher-in- last day’s proceedings and announces our great Nation to spotlight for Amer- come seniors will have a higher cata- to the House his approval thereof.