Political Quotes

“First of all let me say, as I did the other day, as you know, about a week ago we passed an extension to eliminate the cut in the SGR, the doctor's fix, until the end of this month. This bill before us today would take this for another year, until the end of December of 2011. And at the time, the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger) also got on the floor and made statements which I think totally do not represent what we were doing. First of all, I would say with regard to the doctor's fix, nobody wants a 25 percent cut in doctor's reimbursement rate, and that is why we were here last week for the extension to eliminate that cut until the end of this year, and that is why we are today, to eliminate that cut until the end of 2011. But the fact of the matter is it is the Republican Party and it is the party of the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger) in the House that refused to vote for a permanent fix when we passed it in the Democratic majority over a year ago. As I said that day, only one person, Dr. Burgess who is a physician on our committee, voted with the Democrats for the permanent fix. It is as a result of the inability and the unwillingness of the Republicans to do anything about this doctor's cut or reimbursement cut that we had to pass, I guess, five different short-term fixes.…”