Jay Rockefeller: “I rise in strong opposition to Senator Domenici's ill-timed, ill-conceived amendment to cut Medicare by some $19…”

“I rise in strong opposition to Senator Domenici's ill-timed, ill-conceived amendment to cut Medicare by some $19 billion. To restore a $26 billion cut in discretionary spending and replace it with a $20 billion cut purely in mandatory spending--with all but $1 billion coming from the Medicare program is not only unfair it is unwise. I would not have voted for the initial $26 billion cut in spending that unfortunately passed the Budget Committee, but now that it's done, I reject the proposition that we sacrifice the Medicare Program once again, to protect programs that some believe to be more valuable than the one over 35 million senior citizens and disabled Americans rely on for their health care needs. Not only have we already chopped $56 billion out of the Medicare Program for the purpose of deficit reduction less than a year ago, but Medicare savings are needed for us to finance the long awaited and desperately needed prescription drug benefit and home and community based long-term care program that are key elements of the President's health care reform bill. I do not intend to allow my colleagues with other agendas to use the dollars that the President, and many of us here in Congress have reserved for health care reform. This is a classic example of not seeing the forest for the trees.”