IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 135

Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to preserving and expanding

Medicare.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 16, 1999

Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Ms. LEE, Mr. NADLER, Mr.

COYNE, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. HILLIARD, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. THOMPSON of

Mississippi, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr.

BLAGOJEVICH, Mr. WATT of North Carolina, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. FILNER,

Mr. BORSKI, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr.

CAPUANO, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. KILPATRICK, Ms. DELAURO,

Mr. OLVER, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. MATSUI, Mr. DEFAZIO,

Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs.

NAPOLITANO, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. MALONEY

of New York, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. ROMEROBARCELO ́, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. WEINER, Mr. BROWN of California, Mr.

CLAY, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. VENTO, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr.

FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. FROST, Mr. KUCINICH,

Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. BONIOR, and Mr. BECERRA) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on

Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to preserving

and expanding Medicare.
2

•HCON 135 IH

Whereas Medicare has provided guaranteed and universal

health coverage to millions of seniors and individuals with

disabilities since its passage in 1965, including 38 million

current beneficiaries;

Whereas 58 percent of seniors have incomes below $15,000

per year and 60 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have

incomes below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level;

Whereas senior citizens in this country are already paying an

average of $2,150 per year in out-of-pocket health care

expenses, despite Medicare coverage;

Whereas the United States is one of the few countries in the

industrialized world not to provide prescription drug coverage to senior citizens;

Whereas proposals by some members of the Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, such as establishing

a premium support or voucher system for Medicare, raising the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 67, and

imposing a 10 percent home health copayment fee will

cause increased pain and suffering for millions of seniors

and individuals with disabilities;

Whereas premium support or voucher plans for Medicare will

particularly hurt Americans living in rural areas, low-income individuals, women, and minorities; and

Whereas Medicare coverage should be expanded and improved, and not cut back: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) any premium support, privatization, or

4 voucher plan for Medicare should be rejected;
3

•HCON 135 IH

1 (2) the eligibility age for Medicare should not

2 be increased;

3 (3) no copayment should be imposed on home

4 health care;

5 (4) changes should be made to the Medicare

6 program to improve and extend it, such as commit7 ting 15 percent of the budget surplus to ensure

8 Medicare’s solvency, adding a prescription drug ben9 efit to the Medicare program, and making it easier

10 for eligible Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the

11 low-income Medicare assistance plans; and

12 (5) the current guarantee of Medicare benefits

13 should not be eliminated.

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