William Tauzin: “I can tell my colleagues there were no only dirty looks on this side when it comes to Medicare. We support Medicare…”

“I can tell my colleagues there were no only dirty looks on this side when it comes to Medicare. We support Medicare, believe in it. My mother depends upon it. As I have often said on this House floor, she is a three-time cancer survivor who loves Medicare. That is why when we wrote this bill we preserved her opportunity to remain in fee-for-service Medicare if she chooses. But I want to give her something else, and that is why this bill provides for competitive choices for her so that she can choose a premium-based insurance program if it is better for her. If she wants to stay under Medicare, she can. In either case, she gets the Medicare prescription drug benefit that was not available to her all of these years until this majority came forward and provided one in this bill. Reject this motion to instruct. Let us go to the conference with the Senate and let us be hopeful and positive that we can negotiate with the Senate a version that will pass the House and Senate and get signed into law. Seniors understand. They are tired of waiting. They are tired of this debate. They are ready for a law that gives them a prescription drug benefit, and so is my mother.”