Washington, D.C.– Jim Martin, President of the 60 Plus Association, endorsed Thursday’s House-passed prescription drug benefit plan, calling it “a benefit which will help seniors meet the high costs of health care.

While the House Republican leadership should be applauded for guiding this bill to passage, it was President George W. Bush who got the ball rolling nearly a year ago in a Rose Garden ceremony where he fulfilled a campaign pledge by outlining his ‘immediate helping hand’ proposal.

“Senior citizens owe Mr. Bush and the House a debt of gratitude. No senior should have to make a choice between putting food on the table or being able to afford the drugs they need. This is an initial first step to an eventual overhaul and modernization of Medicare,” Martin observed.

“60 Plus tries to maintain a non-partisan posture, but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that while the Democrats are belittling the Republican plan, former President Clinton in eight years in the White House did not step forward with a plan and neither did the same Democrats who are now shedding crocodile tears. For Heaven’s sake, they had eight years and did nothing. This is a long overdue drug benefit and seniors are grateful. I agree with the AARP that passage ‘moves the Medicare program one step closer to providing millions of older and disabled Americans with some help against the rising cost of prescription drugs.'”