21.   Republicans defended the proposal, saying the increase in the eligibility age would be gradual.

22.   Senate Democrats and Clinton administration officials portrayed the proposal to raise the eligibility age as another example of Republican cold-heartedness.

23.   Senators were not defensive about trying to set a Medicare means test or to raise the eligibility age.

24.   Still on the table, he indicated, could be raising the eligibility age, investing the federal surplus in private securities or allowing limited personal investment accounts.

25.   Still, he said, the coalition feels the question of whether to raise the eligibility age should not be raised here.

26.   Such tradeoffs include raising the eligibility age, raising the tax rate by a smaller amount, or reducing benefits.

27.   Surprisingly support for means testing Medicare proved even more popular among the senators than gradually raising the eligibility age.

28.   The Clinton administration is unlikely to reverse its position on raising the eligibility age.

29.   The government has raised the eligibility age for full Social Security benefits.

30.   The increase in the eligibility age is not in the House Medicare savings legislation approved by the Commerce and Ways and Means committees last week.