Date: 2012-12-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

The Senate bill is $250.000 and below. The income up to $250.000whatever you makereceives the continuation or a tax cut. and the remaining obviously expire. Simple premise. That means 97 percent of our businesses today. that means all the businesses on Main Streets in everybodys cities and towns will be protected going into the 2013 tax year or the 2012 tax year. But what it means is that middle class Americans will not have a $2.200 per family of four going into January 2013. I just want to lay that on the table. because now I want to move to this question of entitlements. but specifically the eligibility as it relates to age. Thats been batted around. I really wanted to come here today. I was home over the weekend. and I said. I have to get to Washington to convey the thoughts in the minds of my constituents. not only the average citizen. but doctors whom I sat down with yesterday to ask about this question. But heres my point. Now. you can look at it globally. and then Im going to narrow it down. Globally. one would say that were living longer. Of course women are. This is the actuarial genius here. you know. the actuarial tables that you deal with. So women are living longer. Its always been a tradition. et cetera. but the body politic is living longer. maybe because theyre healthier. That is not the case in the span of what were speaking of. because what were talking about globally. or nationally. are people whose beginnings are different. whose lifestyles are different. Now. I dont know. but the family farmersand Im not picking on that group of peoplehave worked with their hands. Of course they work with their mindsthey have to have a budget and make things workbut theyre in the outdoors. foresters. Some would say. well. thats a healthy lifestyle. I dont know until you walk a mile in their shoes. Those who work in the coal mines in West Virginia. those who are in the sanitation department of our municipal cities. those who work in concrete and the building trades. those individuals who work in the energy industry in all shapes. forms. and sizes. those who may be in the vocational trades. maybe even nurses and nurses aids who are lifting patients all day long. thank God for them. We see them all the time when were visiting the sick and our relatives or even were in the hospital. So what Im saying is you cannot have a cookie that fits all. You cannot immediately jump to entitlement reform between now and December 31. Heres a solution: The bipartisan voices have said pass the Senate bill or pass the elimination of the tax cuts on the top 2 percentbut I. frankly. believe that 100 percent of Americans will get it. We cannot then jump to entitlement reform now. It would not be wise. It is not prudent. It does not work. When you talk about 65 to 67. that is a lifetime. Because what you do. as the gentleman has said. you throw seniors into the marketplace. You save a buck. and they have to spend two bucks. three bucks. four bucks. And then on top of the four bucks. they will have doors slammed in their face. The Affordable Care Act was premised on a 65yearold Medicare admission. if you willexcept for those who are disabledand therefore. now. you want to skew it. Youve already claimed that ObamaCare is going to raise prices. Look at the projection of cost to the seniors. trillions of dollars that they will pay in the open marketplace. But more importantly. how many of the poor seniors not having the money to go into the open marketplace will drop dead? Im being colorful because. in terms of your lifestyle. some people struggle to get to 65. It makes no sense that they should be on the altar of sacrifice. Im passionate about this because I just dont understand why we jump so far. I say. Members. lets be deliberative. You cannot throw it out and say. oh. thats what were going to do. when you dont know the numbers. you dont know the ultimate results. you have not done an analysis on what seniors of this age. what are their particular work histories. Maybe we will have. 40 years from nowlet me go 20 years from now. well have all white collar seniors. I dont know what we have now. and therefore I cant judge that 65 for one person is 65 for everybody. Let me say this to my good friends that are here: Lets take raising the Medicare age off the table. Im delighted to see people here who are 65. 72. 80. 42. fine. but sometimes we do not represent a microcosm of America. Let me finish on this note. I sat down with doctors and I posed a question. Doctors have a sense of pride. They like their work and they think they can keep us healthy. They could have said a number of things to me: Well. if we stay on a nutritious diet and if we do our exercise. I can see that in the future. They did not say that. They shook their heads. and they said it is unbelievable. It wont work. It doesnt work. Its not a good answer. They were against raising it on the basis of medical grounds. So let me just say this: I hope that we stand firm. our caucus. I hope we will work with the White House. I know they are speculating over a number of opportunities and options. but my perspective is you go for this tax relief. and you put on the table for deliberative consideration what is the best approach to have Medicare savings and to provide for the American people. But I cant fathom burdening seniors with raising the eligibility age for Medicare.