I particularly want to thank our chairman, Senator Alexander, for holding this hearing at such an important time.

The President's budget proposes to hike taxes by $2.1 trillion, seemingly not content with the $1.7 trillion in new taxes he and his allies in Congress have imposed over the past 6 years.

The proposed budget never balances. Deficits continue, which means that the debt as a share of the economy would remain at levels not seen in our Nation's history.

Simply put, there are too many shortcomings in the President's budget to adequately address in my opening statement.

You said, and I will paraphrase here, that you were hopeful IPAB never needs to be used.

It seems to me they do not trust the hospital administrator or the doctors, or the whole delivery system.

How can you explain how you went from hoping it never had to be used to now doubling down on IPAB?

During your confirmation hearing, we talked a lot about the Affordable Care Act's Independent Payment Advisory Board.

I do not want rationing. I am very worried about the Independent Payment Advisory Board, the CMS Innovation Center, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, all well-intended.

We want to work in a bipartisan way.

I hope you do not go down the path of trying to limit political speech.

I do not know who is rich. Who is rich? Is that $250,000? I mean, is there a number there?