Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I rise to discuss the dangerous practice we have in this country that forces people with disabilities to wait for benefits and healthcare coverage. I would first, however, like to congratulate my colleague, the senior Senator from Rhode Island, for his diligence and persistence in working to eliminate the 5-month waiting period for those who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS. His perseverance is admirable, and I congratulate him for eliminating this misguided policy for people with ALS. My hope is we can expand this victory to eliminate the waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Medicare coverage to all eligible Americans. Forcing Americans to wait 5 months to begin cash benefits and then another 24 months for Medicare coverage is a dangerous policy. In many cases, applicants have little or no income while they are waiting for government benefits to begin. We should not be forcing someone with stage-4 breast cancer or Huntington's Disease or any of the disabilities or diseases that qualify a person for Social Security Disability Insurance to wait to receive benefits. Those who have been determined eligible are American workers who have paid into the Social Security system throughout their lives. We have an obligation to assist Americans in their time of need in a timely manner. When a person receives a diagnosis, bills do not wait 5 months to be paid, healthcare costs are not put on hold for 2 years.…”