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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 2003)
Nation & World News Bush supports Medicare bill Although the president praises the bill, the House and Senate still disagree on several of its policies By Jill Zuckman Chicago Tribune (KRT) WASHINGTON — Scrambling to rescue one of his top domestic priori ties, President Bush urged Congress on Wednesday to break a logjam and complete a deal on a Medicare reform bill that would provide a prescription drug benefits to 40 million senior citi zens. "The Congress needs to finalize leg islation that brings our seniors the best of modem medicine," said Bush, surrounded by senior citizens and health care advocates at the White House. "And I want to sign that legis lation into law before the year is out." Lawmakers have been stuck for months trying to reconcile differences between bills passed by the House and Senate, but Bush's words seemed to do little to move negotiations along. The two chambers disagree, among other things, on whether the Medicare program should be forced to compete with private health plans. Democrats said that despite his public exhortations, Bush was doing little of the arm-twisting and cajoling that would be necessary to bring about a compromise. "If that's the only message, then I think the president is failing to use his influence to move this legislative process along successfully," said Sen ate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D S.D. Daschle added that Bush "can bring these matters to successful reso lution if he weighs in. But he's got to weigh in with a recognition that we have two parties, and they are very evenly divided here in the Congress, and we need to recognize on both sides that there has to be accommo dation.* Throughout negotiations between the Senate and House, Bush has had little personal involvement in resolv ing key differences. Now, as Congress gets closer to adjournment, lawmak ers acknowledged that they still have major disagreements, and they may have exceeded their $400 billion price cap. The political stakes are great for both sides — though perhaps more so for Bush and the Republicans, since they control the White House and Congress. Bush has promised to do all he can to enact a prescription drug benefit, and elderly voters may react angrily if he fails. But Republicans still require De mocratic assistance to pass the Medicare legislation, and the finger pointing has already begun in case lawmakers cannot reach a deal. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said Wednesday that Democ rats have no interest in passing the leg islation because they prefer to use it as a political issue. "They have said they don't want to get this done. They are going to try their best to obstruct," DeLay said. "They don't want a bill passed by a Re publican Congress and signed by a Republican president." But other lawmakers, including some Republicans, said House con servatives had hijacked the process and the conference committee, the panel of 1 louse and Senate lawmak ers charged with working out a deal. Lawmakers have been discussing a plan to require seniors to pay premi ums of about $35 a month for pre scription drugs, as well as a deductible of $275. The program would pay about 75 percent of seniors' drug costs up to $2,200. After that, seniors would pay the to tal cost of their medicine — a gap in coverage known as a "donut hole" — until they reach a point where a "cata strophic" benefit kicks in, covering 95 percent of the bills. Members of Congress are still at odds, however, over whether to force wealthier seniors to pay higher premi ums, whether to require the tradition al fee-for-service Medicare program to compete with private health plans, whether to institute spending limits if future cost increases exceed predic tions, and whether to allow seniors to buy drugs from Canada and other countries. Many lawmakers are also deeply worried that a prescription dnig plan for seniors could cause corporations to jettison drug benefits they are al ready providing to retirees. During his talk at the White House Wednesday, Bush said an executive from Caterpillar Corp. had assured him that no such thing would hap pen. "If there's a Medicare reform bill signed by me, corporations have no intention to ... dump retirees into a system they don't want to be dumped into," Bush said. (c) 2003, Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. Campus News Reading Series features novelist The Creative Writing Reading Series will host novelist Ehud Havazelet at 8 p.m. today By Andrew Shipley Freelance Reporter The University Creative Writing Program will continue its annual Cre ative Writing Reading Series tonight with a visit from novelist Ehud Havazelet, one of the program's own professors. Havazelet will read from his most recent novel, "Like Never Before," at 8 p.m. in the Knight Library Browsing Room. The book examines family re lationships through the stories of a Jewish family living in New York. The reading will be followed by a question and answer period and book signings. Havazelet has published two nov els and is the recipient of numerous honors, including a Whiting Award and a Guggenheim grant. In addition to tonight's reading, Havazelet will hold a workshop with Creative Writing Program master's of fine arts students at 2 p.m. on Friday in the EMU Ben Linder Room. The workshop will be open to all Univer sity students, but participation is lim ited to students in the program. Havazelet's reading is the second in the 2003-04 series. The program brings one poet and one novelist to the University every term to present and discuss his or her work with stu dents and faculty. This year's series coordinator, Pro fessor David Bradley of the Creative Writing Program, has attempted to ex pand the series' impart on campus by opening Friday's master's program workshop to die entire University. "We have these visitors conduct a class, but in the past it has been closed," Bradley said. "This year we are opening it up to everyone. If you're interested, come by the (cre ative writing) office and we have copies of the work that anyone can pickup." "Words can be dead on a page, but if a reading is good, it can be like the difference between hearing music played and looking at the notes on the page." David Bradley Creative writing professor Bradley hopes this option will pro vide students with the opportunity to experience what a master's-level writ ing program is like. "You can't get a major here in cre ative writing," he said. "The master's program is completely closed off. With the open workshop on Friday, people who might be interested in writing or maybe just curious can come and check it out. We get some very distinguished authors." This year the tradition of excellence CAMPUS BUZZ Friday Religious Studies symposium, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m., 110 Knight Law Center. William Schniedewind of UCLA will explore "How the Bible Became a Book." A book sale and reception will follow the event. continues, with readings by the na tionally acclaimed poet B.H. Fairchild and the prolific novel and short-story author Frederick Busch. Turn out for the series' first reading was strong, but Bradley said he would like to see increased participation from general University students. "Readings are fun. Literature can be entertaining," Bradley said. "Words can be dead on a page, but if a reading is good, it can be like the difference between hearing music played and looking at the notes on the page." For Uavazelet, who describes one of his novel's themes as the "interplay of the personal and the political in a life history," he said the instability in the world today makes literature car ry even more of an impact. "Especially in these times, when so many are ready to go to war to prove their single version of the truth, litera ture is more important than ever," he said. Thus far, students have seemed to respond positively to the series. "As a writing student, or any stu dent, it's an amazing opportunity to be able to hear writers read from and talk about their work," graduate stu dent Michael Davis said. This sentiment was echoed by a number of students in attendance at the first reading by poet Pimone Triplett, where many members of the audience had to stand because of at tendance. Andrew Shipley is a freelance reporter for the Emerald. Student Groups Advertise in the Oregon Daily Emerald. Call 346-3712 to speak with a sales rep. We have great University rates. mm Hi! RED BARN NATURAL GROCERY EST. 1982 Whole foods, for whole people... fresh from the form to you! organically grown produce • organic beer & wine organic bulk foods ♦ vitamins & supplements organic herbs & spices • special orders / case discounts natural body care products • locally owned & operated 10% discount with student ID 4th & Blair • 342-7503 • M-Sa. SAM-IOl’M • Su. IOam-Opm You are invited to our annual FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL & OPEN HOUSE A Unique Treat See the Jolly Halloween Pumpkin Design Show Amazing Fantastic “Creations” by the Eugene’s Flower Home Floral Designers Vote for your favorite • Door Prizes, Refreshments, Balloons • “Halloween Boo-quet” • Thanksgiving Suggestions 610 East I3th Ave. at Patterson Phone: 485-3655 www.eugenesflowerhome.com Join in the “Fun with Flowers” Thursday, Oct. 30 Friday, Oct. 31 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Eugene’s Flower Home T h e U n i v e r s i t y FI o r i s i
