Frank Pallone: “Yesterday myself and the gentleman from New Jersey held a second forum in New Jersey on the issue of Medicare, and many…”

“Yesterday myself and the gentleman from New Jersey held a second forum in New Jersey on the issue of Medicare, and many senior citizens were seriously concerned about how the severe Republican cuts to Medicare will affect them. Unfortunately, it is difficult to answer that question definitively since we only know what the press has leaked on the subject. I would like to know where the Republican plan is. It is after Labor Day. We still do not have it. Are we going to have any time to review it even before we vote in a few weeks? How can the Members of Congress be expected to vote on the largest Medicare reduction in history and fully represent their constituent interests when the Republicans still have no plan? When the Republicans finally release their Medicare plans, they should allow a significant period of time to analyze the specifics. I do not think that is too much to ask on such an important issue. The Republicans have been reluctant to release their plan because they fear the wrath of senior citizens. They seem to be opting for the stealth approach by cutting $270 billion, the largest cut in the history of Medicare without letting the public know the details.”