Bernie Sanders: “On behalf of 80,000 Vermont senior citizens who receive Medicare, I rise today in vehement opposition to the proposed…”

“On behalf of 80,000 Vermont senior citizens who receive Medicare, I rise today in vehement opposition to the proposed 7-year, $400 billion cut in Medicare funding proposed by the Republican leadership. Today under present funding, many Vermont seniors are hard-pressed to pay the high cost of Medicare premiums, and many others cannot afford the expensive prescription drugs that they desperately need. Any cuts which will raise premiums or cut benefits or raise deductible will cause terrible pain for some of the most hard-pressed citizens in America and in Vermont. It is unconscionable to cut back on Medicare when we are giving huge tax breaks to the wealthiest people in this country. It is unconscionable to cut back on Medicare when we spend $100 billion a year on corporate welfare.”