Urge Congress to Pass Medicare Prescription Drug Bill This Year!

Ask them to visit National Grange website to refer to the National Grange Medicare Prescription Drug Bill Side-by-Side Comparison: House, Senate, and National Grange policy

10/07/2003

• Now the Medicare Prescription Drug bill to add prescription drug coverage to Medicare is pending in the Joint House-Senate Conference Committee and House and Senate negotiators have set an October 17th deadline for completion of work on the Medicare Prescription Drug bill.
• Please before October 17th email your U.S. Senators, Representative, and House and Senate Conferees to ask them to approve the Medicare Prescription Drug bill this year. Also ask them to check our website to find out Grange policy on the bill and to include the individual provisions of each chamber's legislation that are supported by the National Grange.

House and Senate Conferees continue to meet in an attempt to overcome the differences between the Medicare Prescription Drug bills passed by the House (H.R. 1) and the Senate (S. 1) in June. By October 17th the Conference Committee will try to complete its work on the bill so we need to push for Congress to pass the bill before October 17th. President Bush asked lawmakers to quickly resolve their differences and offer America's seniors prescription drug coverage for the first time in the program's 38-year history.

This legislation is one of the most significant health care bills in a generation. It reforms the Medicare program, gives greater choice to consumers and provides a prescription drug benefit to millions of older Americans. Congress has worked hard to keep the program to $400 billion over 10 years in its effort to provide a valuable benefit to many older Americans and significant reforms to the program. Under both the House and Senate bills all beneficiaries will receive an affordable Medicare drug benefit, including retirees who are Medicare eligible and covered by employers. Both bills would expand choice for individuals and encourage private sector techniques that control costs and promote effective care and improved health through the Medicare Advantage Program.

Medicare Prescription Drug issue has been one of the National Grange's first legislative priorities. National Grange has supported establishing a universal, affordable prescription drug benefit under Medicare especially for rural seniors.

For your reference:

National Grange Action Alert on 6/19/03: Voice Your Support For the Senate Medicare Prescription Drug Bill (S. 1)!

National Grange Action Alert on 6/27/02: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Legislation is Needed for Rural Seniors

Action Plan --- National Grange created a side-by-side Medicare Prescription Drug bill comparison report to encourage our members and Congress to learn Grange policy compared to House and Senate policy. Please email your U.S. Senators, Representative, and House and Senate Conferees to ask them to approve the Medicare Prescription Drug bill this year. Also ask them to check our website to find out Grange policy on the bill and to include the individual provisions of each chamber's legislation that are supported by the National Grange.

Click here to review the National Grange Medicare Prescription Drug Bill
Side-by-Side Comparison Report

Contact information for U.S. House Representative
Contact information for U.S. Senators

House Conferees
Rep. Bill Thomas California R-22 nd: Rep. Thomas is the chairman of the Medicare conference and voted for the House Medicare bill.
Rep. Tom DeLay Texas R-22 nd: Rep. DeLay is the House majority leader and voted for the House Medicare bill.
Rep. Nancy Johnson Connecticut R-5 th: Rep. Johnson voted for the House Medicare bill.
Rep. Billy Tauzin Louisiana R-3 rd: Rep. Tauzin voted for the House Medicare bill.
Rep. Michael Bilirakis Florida R-9 th: Rep. Bilirakis voted for the House Medicare bill.
Rep. Charles Rangel New York D- 15 th: Rep. Rangel voted against the House bill.
Rep. John Dingell Michigan D-15 th: Rep. Dingell voted against the House bill.
Rep. Marion Berry Arkansas D-1 st: Rep. Berry voted against the House bill.

Senate Conferees
Senator Charles Grassley Iowa R: Sen. Grassley is one of the main architects of the Senate bill, which he voted for.
Senator Bill Frist Tennessee R: Sen. Frist voted for the Senate bill.
Senator Orrin Hatch Utah R: Sen. Hatch voted for the Senate bill.
Senator Tom Daschle South Dakota D: Sen. Daschle voted for the Senate bill.
Senator Max Baucus Montana D: Sen. Baucus voted for the Senate bill.
Senator John Breaux Louisiana D: Sen. Breaux voted for the Senate bill.
Senator Don Nickles Oklahoma R: Sen. Nickles voted against the Senate bill.
Senator Jon Kyl Arizona R: Sen. Kyl voted for the Senate bill.
Senator Jay Rockefeller West Virginia D: Sen. Rockefeller voted against the Senate bill.

If you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.

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