Political Quotes

“the Republican prescription drug bill is a sham, and the unfair rule that brings it to the floor exposed this partisan and shameful process for what it is--a political masquerade designed to convince Americans that we have answered the plea to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. Make no mistake, we fall far short of that goal today. I am appalled that the Republican leadership is not willing to allow the American people the decency of comparing the bill before us to a substitute that would provide a real drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries. This limited debate available to us speaks volumes about the quality of the proposal before us today and its lack of a meaningful prescription drug benefit for the seniors. The Republican sham prescription drug plan would not provide a guaranteed adequate prescription drug benefit for seniors. The coverage outlined in the bill isn't the kind of coverage most Americans think of when the need for prescription drug coverage for seniors. Coverage if 80/20 only through the first $1,000, when coverage drops to 50/50. And then there is a huge gap in coverage between $2,000, when the initial benefits run out, and $3,700, when catastrophic coverage finally begins. A beneficiary will receive zero benefits between $2,000 and $3,800 in spending, even though she will continue to pay the $35 monthly premium.”