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Hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee on the 2004 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Social and Medicare Trust Funds

Date: April 1, 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Senior Citizens Unemployed and Low-Income Entitlements and the Safety Net Health Insurance


Federal News Service

HEADLINE: HEARING OF THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: THE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE TRUST FUNDS

CHAIRED BY: REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM M. THOMAS (R-CA)

WITNESSES: LESLIE V. NORWALK, ACTING DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES; JEFF FLICK, SAN FRANCISCO REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES LOCATION: 1100 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.

BODY:

REP. WILLIAM M. THOMAS (R-CA): Good afternoon. Today we continue the committees review of the 2004 annual reports of the Board of Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. Pursuant to House of Representative Rule XI, clause 2(j)(1), at the insistence of the minority four additional witnesses have been called before us to offer testimony on the Trustees Report on Medicare. The minority is fully within its rights under rule XI and the chair has no discretion in that regard.

Before us today one of the witnesses that was requested Leslie Norwalk, who is the acting deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Mr. Jeff Flick, who today is the San Francisco Regional Administrator for CMS. Doug Badger, special assistant to the president for Economic Policy had been requested by the minority to appear, and White House Counsel, Alberto Gonzales has provided the committee a letter of explanation on executive privilege. Therefore, Mr. Badger will not appear. Tom Scholar, former CMS Administrator has provided a letter of explanation to the committee outlining the reasons for his declining the invitation as well. With objection I ask that both letters be entered into the record and the clerks will make sure that members have copies of those letters.

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REP. DAVE CAMP (R-MI) (?): (Inaudible).

The gentleman from Minnesota wish to inquire?

REP. JIM RAMSTAD (R-MN): (Inaudible).

The gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Cardin, wish to inquire?

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