September 26, 1975
Page 30524
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I regret to have to sponsor an amendment which will reduce the funds available in the health area. I think that it is an injustice to the Congress that we are forced
to make reductions in the controllable portions of the budget because of the increased costs of mandatory spending programs.
However, as chairman of the Budget Committee I must look to places where reductions can be made and support those reductions. This amendment will lower the pressure on the health target
by $100 million.
As you can see on page 35 of the Senate budget scorekeeping report the health target for outlays is over by $2.1 billion or $.9 billion if we deduct $1.2 billion for pending legislation for health insurance for the unemployed.
Furthermore, Mr. President, Secretary Lynn of OMB, and Alice Rivlin of the Congressional Budget Office both testified before the Budget Committee this week that additional reestimates for medicaid and medicare will total approximately $.8 billion more for fiscal year 1976.
I will conclude my remarks by restating the clear fact that this additional $.8 billion in reestimates — on top of $.7 billion which the Congress has already received from OMB — is the reason for the problems we face now in staying within the health target.