Political Quotes

“I rise to ask support for the Stabenow- Cantwell amendment. This addresses the cuts to the budget in Medicare. Medicare is a universal health care program, as we know. It is a great American success story. Everybody believes that. It protects Americans from having their life savings wiped out by a single illness. It guarantees important medical care and quality of life for literally tens of millions of people across our country. I was very disappointed yesterday that our Republican colleagues voted against providing a point of order that would allow us to object to efforts to privatize Medicare or cut benefits or raise out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs or preventive services. But as a result of that, we now have in front of us a budget that calls for $435 billion in cuts to Medicare. We all know there are ways to work together to create savings through efficiencies and quality measures and other things, but we should not be telling a generation of seniors, and those coming beyond them--who worked hard their whole lives and paid into the programs--that they will not have the health care they need and deserve. So I ask colleagues to join with us in rejecting the $435 billion in Medicare cuts that are in this budget resolution. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.”