Debbie Dingell: “the spending reconciliation bill before us has a number of important and commendable provisions. At the same time, like…”

“the spending reconciliation bill before us has a number of important and commendable provisions. At the same time, like many compromises, it includes some provisions which I consider quite objectionable. On the positive side, the bill represents the first major expansion of health care in many years by establishing a $24 billion program to insure our Nation's children. Extending health care to as many as 10 million uninsured children has been one of my most important goals, and this bill takes the first step in that direction. The bill also makes useful and important reforms of the Medicare Program that will extend solvency of the Medicare trust fund, while expanding new preventative services and adding consumer protections. Similarly, new consumer protections have been added to the Medicaid Program. Unfortunately, despite these commendable provisions, we should not delude ourselves that this bill will likely provide a balanced budget, in part because it uses $24 billion in phony revenues from sale of the public spectrum. These telecommunications provisions will give away the public spectrum for pennies on the dollar, and tamper with the public's Universal Service Fund that provides affordable telephone service to all areas of the country. In addition, I have serious problems with some of the Medicare provisions, such as medical savings accounts and private fee-for-service plans, that threaten the long-term viability of Medicare.”