Political Quotes

“I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy in permitting me to speak on this bill, and I appreciate him framing the difference that the legislation makes. That's why, in a sense, I welcome the 31st running of this soap opera here on the floor of the House, where our Republican colleagues have attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It would have a little more credibility if they actually had a meaningful alternative that would take the place, that would do the things that this legislation is in the process of doing. Bear in mind that this legislation, over the course of the next 20 years, is going to reduce overall government spending by over $1 trillion. It reforms Medicare, not by slashing benefits to senior citizens, but by changing the priorities and the overpayment for Medicare Advantage, which does shift, as my colleagues say, a half- trillion dollars, but it uses it to reform Medicare and pay for medical benefits for the American public. What my friends on the other side of the aisle don't say is that they take the half trillion dollars, but they don't invest it in strengthening Medicare, they use it in their budget--the same $500 billion--to finance tax cuts for Americans who need them the least. The wealthiest, most well off Americans use this $500 billion for additional tax cuts. What we have done is to move forward, and it has nothing to do with broccoli, because if you don't happen to like broccoli, you don't have to eat it. The SPEAKER pro tempore.…”