Political Quotes

“late last night, the House Rules Committee sent a terrible message to our Nation's seniors and hospitals. Two amendments I proposed were not allowed to pass onto the House floor. The first amendment would have stricken the language regarding the ``market basket'' index. Under the current bill hospitals would lose $12 billion over the next ten years. My amendment would have kept the funding streams toward hospitals level so that hospitals would not be forced to make difficult cuts in services and jeopardize patient care. My second amendment would have assured that the prescription drug benefits we members of Congress enjoy would be comparable to those of Medicare beneficiaries. My colleagues in the Senate passed such an amendment, but the Members of the House Rules Committee seem reluctant to subject themselves to the very same benefits they would give our Nation's seniors. They have sent the clear message that these benefits are not good enough for them, the relatively young and healthy, but are adequate for our Nation's seniors and disabled persons. Once again this Congress has proven that the Democratic process is not working. Not only are the voices of America's seniors not being heard, but neither are those of Members of Congress. As we go home to celebrate our Nation's independence, we will have to explain to our seniors that yes, a prescription drug bill passed, but it will not benefit them.”