E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1995 No. 118 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was last day's proceedings and announces tions in need of its support. The con- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- to the House his approval thereof. gregation generously provides to these pore [Mr. EMERSON]. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- groups whatever it can. Reverend f nal stands approved. Hobbs and his congregation help to f bridge a critical gap to those who do DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER not qualify for State and Federal aid, PRO TEMPORE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE and yet still require assistance. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman I salute the generous efforts of Rev- fore the House the following commu- from Kansas [Mr. TIAHRT] come for- erend Hobbs and Hamden's Spring Glen nication from the Speaker: ward and lead the House in the Pledge Church for their selfless service to the of Allegiance. community. I thank them for their WASHINGTON, DC, Mr. TIAHRT led the Pledge of Alle- July 20, 1995. continuing commitment to these ongo- I hereby designate the Honorable BILL EM- giance as follows: ing efforts. ERSON to act as Speaker pro tempore on this I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the It is our distinct pleasure to have the day. United States of America, and to the Repub- Reverend Hobbs with us today, and we NEWT GINGRICH, lic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. thank you, Reverend Hobbs, for joining Speaker of the House of Representatives. with us today and for your blessing. f f f PRAYER A WARM WELCOME FOR REV. BILL HOBBS ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER The Reverend Dr. William Hobbs, (Ms. DELAURO asked and was given PRO TEMPORE Spring Glen Church, Hamden, CT, of- permission to address the House for 1 fered the following prayer: The SPEAKER pro tempore. The minute and to revise and extend her re- Sovereign God, holy and gracious, be Chair announces that 1-minutes will be marks.) known in this Chamber where men and limited to 20 today, 10 to each side. Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, it women wield authority with far-reach- f brings me great pleasure to welcome ing implications. Make these servants here this morning the Reverend Bill who were clever enough to get elected THE NATIONAL DIALOG ON Hobbs, my constituent, to the House of wise enough to serve the public good, MEDICARE Representatives, to the people's House. and both fair and compassionate Reverend Hobbs indeed serves the (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked enough to address the needs of all the people. He is from Hamden, CT, where and was given permission to address people, placing people above politics, he presides over the community's larg- the House for 1 minute and to revise regarding them as neighbors to be est Protestant congregation at the and extend his remarks.) served and joined in service. Spring Glen Church. Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Protect them from the terrible temp- Since arriving in 1984, Reverend Speaker, it has been several weeks now tation of the love of power so they may Hobbs has led his congregation in since the Board of Trustees of Medicare know the power of love. Let them see countless community service efforts. issued their report saying that by 2002 across these aisles not enemies to be Among their many projects are the Medicare will be broke. We are now en- ridiculed and defeated, but compatriots food and fuel bank programs. These are gaged in a national dialog on this sub- to join in common enemies of poverty, critical efforts. The Spring Glen ject. And where have we come in this fear, insecurity, and injustice. Church has willingly accepted the re- dialog? So let Your reign of peace with jus- sponsibility of feeding its community's I think that the little plate here tice find support here and everywhere, hungry. This, along with helping to shows it very well. Are we talking most gracious and almighty God. provide heat to low-income households about Medicare, or are we talking Amen. during the cold Connecticut winters, is about MediScare. The last thing this f a testament to the congregation's com- country needs, Mr. Speaker, is all of mitment to those in need. the half-truths and untruths that are THE JOURNAL The church is a valuable community issuing from the other side of the aisle, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The resource. It has opened its doors to sev- that are meant to frighten our senior Chair has examined the Journal of the eral civic and community organiza- citizens. 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. H 7261 H 7262 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE July 20, 1995 What we need is a considered debate Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell my formation on the safest use of chemi- on this subject. Apparently my col- liberal colleagues, let us forget the cals and he would not benefit from his leagues on the other side of the aisle MediScare tactics. Let us channel our required participation in the crop in- are content to maintain the status quo energy into something productive. surance program. by these scare tactics, and let Medicare Work with us to save Medicare, and But the Durbin amendment goes far- go bankrupt. please stop scaring our senior Ameri- ther. In fact, it would not just affect Mr. Speaker, the Republican major- cans. the farmer, it would affect us all. This ity will not let this happen. We are f provision has the potential to prevent committed to preserving, protecting, a buy-out of the program which could and strengthening Medicare for this WE NEED SPECIFICS ON CHANGES cost the taxpayers of this country an generation and future generations. IN MEDICARE unbelievable $1 billion. f (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given If you do not want to throw a permission to address the House for 1 blindsided knockout punch to family ARBITRARY CUTS IN MEDICARE minute and to revise and extend his re- farmers and to rural districts of Amer- ARE IMPRUDENT marks.) ica then I urge you to vote ``no'' on the (Mr. DOYLE asked and was given Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I be- Durbin amendment. permission to address the House for 1 lieve it was old Will Rogers who said f minute and to revise and extend his re- all I know is what I read in the papers, marks.) MEDICARE CUTS TO FUND TAX and were he around today, he would BREAKS Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise have a great deal in common with the today to speak on behalf of our com- seniors and the people who care about (Mrs. SCHROEDER asked and was munities, hospitals, and the health of seniors, who are concerned about Medi- given permission to address the House today's and tomorrow's senior citizens. care. for 1 minute and to revise and extend If we are to bring about Medicare re- Because you see, all that our Repub- her remarks.) form which will prove to be truly bene- lican colleagues have had to say about Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, in- ficial, we must first reach a consensus their specific plan to change and alter deed there is a MediScare, and there is that reforms must achieve specified and reform and refine Medicare is that a MediScare because the seniors know goals without creating new, more dif- they think that ought to be done. If the truth about what is happening. ficult problems American seniors or Will Rogers were They know that the new Republican In the Pittsburgh area alone, there to have read the Times on Monday, majority has found this little piggy are seven hospitals which would face they would have learned one of the spe- bank, this little piggy bank that had almost certain shutdown as a result of ``Medicare Trust Fund'' written on it, cifics of this particular secret plan, these proposed cuts. It is neither pru- and they have crossed out ``Trust that the Republicans think that Medi- dent nor logical to make devastating Fund'' and they are not using the Med- care beneficiaries should be discour- cuts to Medicare in such an arbitrary icare piggy bank to pay for the crown aged from buying insurance to cover fashion. The sound-thinking, hard- jewel of their contract. what Medicare does not cover already. What is the crown jewel of their con- working people of western Pennsylva- The Republicans evidently believe nia and across this country will tell tract? Tax breaks for people who make that MediGap coverage insulates pa- you that putting the cart before the over $350,000 a year. Seniors think that tients from the cost of care; in essence, horse will get Medicare nowhere fast. is unfair, when they also hear that A recent national poll shows that 72 that our seniors are not paying enough Medicare is going broke. Let me tell percent of the American public oppose for the care that they receive today. you how much faster it is going to go We have had two Members this morn- Medicare cuts being made to pay for broke if you keep using it as a piggy ing come up and talk about Medicare.