On the recordMarch 20, 2013
Mr. Chairman, I want to explain my strong opposition to the Republican budget and strong support of the Democrat budget amendment because it offers a balanced approach that is fair to seniors, the middle class, and invests in the right priorities. I want to give an important example. My district is filled with people from all walks of life--teachers, entrepreneurs, and nurses-- who've worked hard and spent their lives earning the Medicare guarantee. They live with the comfort of knowing that if they get sick or injured, the health care they've earned will be there for them. I know this firsthand. My own mother beat cancer with the help of Medicare. Fortunately, I didn't have to make the choice that many Americans will face under the Republican budget: having to choose between helping a parent pay for a cancer treatment or saving for our own children's college tuition. The Democratic budget, on the other hand, secures Medicare by stopping overpayments to insurance companies and incentivizing efficiency in our health care delivery. Mr. Chairman, we were sent here to get things done, to solve problems and not to create new ones, and that's why I will proudly vote for the Democratic budget.





