On the recordMarch 25, 2015
I will raise a point of order against this amendment. The amendment offered by my friends across the aisle would prohibit consideration of certain Medicare legislation. I know all my colleagues are committed to preserving Medicare. We all want Medicare to be there for today's and tomorrow's seniors, and right now its finances are deteriorating rapidly. However, my colleague's amendment is not germane to the budget resolution. The Committee on Finance has jurisdiction over the Medicare program. The Committee on the Budget does not. The Bennet-Stabenow amendment instructs the Committee on Finance how to write a Medicare reform bill--language that is inappropriate to include in a budget resolution. In fact, adopting this amendment would kill the privilege of the budget resolution. For this reason, I am compelled, as chairman of the Committee on the Budget, to raise a point of order against the amendment. Mr. President, the pending amendment, No. 601, is not germane to the budget resolution now before the Senate. Therefore, I raise a point of order against this amendment under section 305(b)2 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and I ask for the yeas and nays.
