Political Quotes

“let me begin by taking a moment to kind of summarize for the American people where we are in this enormous discussion which is causing a great deal of anxiety all over Vermont and all over America. Several months ago, the Republican-led House passed by, I believe, three votes legislation that would throw 23 million Americans off of the health insurance they currently have--23 million Americans, men, women, and children, people who are struggling with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and with other life-threatening illnesses. They would simply be thrown off of the health insurance they have. That legislation also cut Medicaid by $800 billion over a 10-year period. That means children with disabilities in Alaska or Vermont who are now on Medicaid might no longer be able to get the help they need in order to survive or to live a dignified life. At a time when Medicaid provides two-thirds of the funding for nursing homes all over this country, it means that if the Republican legislation were to succeed, we don't know, but thousands and thousands of people all over this country with Alzheimer's, with terrible illnesses, who are now in nursing homes would be thrown out of their nursing homes. Where would they go? Nobody really knows. When you cut Medicaid by $800 billion and Medicaid funds two-thirds of nursing home care, needless to say, people in nursing homes would be forced to leave, to go--nobody knows where.…”