Political Quotes

“I thought I was, Mr. Speaker. I guess I was just steering a little to the left. Both parties have used the prevention fund to do things they thought were important. I can't think of anything more important than to use a portion of the fund that gets replenished by $2 billion every year. The appropriators--God bless them--decide how those funds get appropriated every year. We thought it made sense to use a portion of that fund for children's health. There was still going to be an enormous amount of money left to be appropriated. We also thought that people on Medicare making $500,000 a year-- $40,000 a month roughly--could pay $137 more for their Medicare so we could take care of pregnant women and children and keep our health centers open. That was one of the pay-fors. We were open to negotiating because we knew we would have to in the Senate on how else we pay for it. But the long and the short of it is: Why are they pitting one group of kids in America against another? Governor Sandoval from Nevada said as much. He supports what we did yesterday. Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts--I talked to him yesterday--wants the CHIP bill funded. Can't we put the politics behind us and take care of America's children?”