Today I rise in support of Medicare. It's a decades-old promise that my grandmother made to my mother and that I make to my son. For the last 5 months Republicans have played political theater with our Nation's most pressing issues, putting tax breaks for millionaires and oil companies ahead of the health care of our seniors. Just yesterday, in procedural silliness, it was yet another act by the Republican majority's quest to end Medicare and jeopardize the health of our seniors. Yet again Republicans told our seniors loudly and clearly that they are willing by any means necessary to end Medicare, and that's just wrong. They have also tried to trick our seniors into believing that their budget plan wouldn't affect them today, but that's wrong too. The fact is the end of Medicare would mean that our seniors and individuals with disabilities would pay $12,500 in health care costs. The plan would force seniors to pay nearly $6,800 out of their own pockets in the first year alone. So I am going to urge all of us and our colleagues on the other side to stop the political theater, to stand with the American people, to stop their quest to end Medicare and support our seniors. How about creating jobs instead of ending Medicare? ____________________
On the recordJune 2, 2011
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