Frank Pallone: “I found through visiting my constituents and having forums and trying to address them, in particular on the medicare…”

“I found through visiting my constituents and having forums and trying to address them, in particular on the medicare issue, that many of them were not aware of the challenges that face medicare when we come back in September at this time. But when they were told about the level of cuts, the $270 billion in cuts that have been proposed by the Republican leadership, and are included in the Republican budget that was adopted last spring, they were very concerned about the impact that that record level of cuts in the medicare program would have. Mr. Speaker, I think they have every reason to be concerned because I feel very strongly that that level of cuts, the $270 billion that has been proposed, cannot be implemented without major changes, negative changes, in the medicare program, and probably also without significant out-of-pocket, additional out-of-pocket expenses for senior citizens and those who take advantage of the medicare program.”