Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994 TAG: 9406260104
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short
"Now that we've come this far, we mustn't turn back," Clinton said in his weekly radio address. "Momentum is building toward a solution."
Democrats on Ways and Means, in a rare Saturday session, postponed a debate about cost containment because of internal divisions over how tightly to control medical spending.
"We are really still debating that on our side," said Rep. Sam Gibbons, D-Fla., after gaveling the panel to work shortly after 8 a.m.
The debate grew rancorous after Republicans ridiculed as a "fantasy" the Democratic proposal to help pay for coverage for all Americans by cutting the growth of Medicare, the health insurance plan for 36 million elderly or disabled Americans.
"We are trying to legislate here with a magic wand," said Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fla. He claimed one hospital alone in Gibbons' home district of Tampa stood to lose $300 million in the year 2000 if the Medicare cuts occurred.
Gibbons, looking directly at a camera carrying the hearing live on cable television, said angrily, "I want to tell the seniors through C-SPAN right now: This is just an organized attempt to scare you to death. Don't believe them. They didn't vote for [Medicare] when it first came up."
Memo: NOTE: lede