Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Rep. Joe Pitts

Mr. Speaker, imagine you come to a fork in the road. You look on your GPS, and you see that the path to the left leads to an old bridge that is falling into the river. The path on the right leads to a brand-new bridge that is guaranteed to get your car over the river. Obviously, everyone would go over the new bridge.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Medicare, we have a GPS provided to us by the Medicare trustees. They clearly say that if we stay on the same road, Medicare will be broke by 2024. Republicans want to provide a new bridge that protects and preserves the program for current and future retirees, a program that gives future seniors the option to stay in traditional Medicare or to choose a new plan that best fits their needs.

Unlike current Medicare, the Republican plan provides greater benefits for low-income and sick seniors and requires more from wealthy seniors. The Medicare trustees have put up a bright orange sign saying: ``Bridge Out Ahead.'' We can either heed their warnings and turn down a new path or plow right through and end up in the river.