NewsMax.com
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001

According to a story in Tuesday's issue of the Chicago Tribune:

On the first day of his second week in office, the new president made good on one of his key campaign pledges by urging Congress to appropriate $48 billion for a four-year plan that would enable states to pay for medications for the poorest of those on Medicare.

Democratic opponents of the Republican president on Capitol Hill immediately jumped on his proposal Monday as not enough, saying they want all Medicare recipients, not just the less-well-off, to have their prescription drugs covered by Medicare.

One of the first on his feet to object was Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass:

"I'm concerned the proposal does too little and will take too long in doing it.

"I hope the administration will work with us to develop a bipartisan program that can effectively meet the needs of all senior citizens."

Anticipating just that, Bush said that's what he wants, too, but because he is concerned Congress will not act quickly to revamp Medicare to include prescriptions, he wants it to enact right away what he termed his "Immediate Helping Hand" proposal to tide over 9.5 million of America's neediest seniors.

With Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., chairman of the House Ways and Committee, at his side, Bush said he would be delighted to have a prescription-drug benefit in an expedited, broader Medicare-reform bill.

"If in fact what they're saying is that they plan on expediting a Medicare reform that would include prescription drugs for all seniors, then all of a sudden I begin to say, 'Well, gosh, that may make sense,' " the president said.

"If they're going to drag their feet, then I feel that it's important for us to have Immediate Helping Hand.

"There are a lot of seniors who need help when it comes to prescription drugs."

Standing alongside the president and Thomas was Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who said:

"Congress wants to do something more comprehensive. [The president] doesn't object to that."

In his campaign last fall, Bush said Democrats had pushed prescription drugs for seniors for eight years, but "it seems like they can't get it done.

"Now, they may blame other folks, but it's time to get somebody in Washington who is going to work with both Republicans and Democrats to get some positive things done when it comes to seniors."

Bush's plan covers the full costs of prescription drugs for individual seniors with incomes less than $11,300 a year and couples making less than $15,200.

It pays part of the costs for single Medicare recipients making up to $14,600 a year and couples earning $19,700.

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