House Budget Committee Votes to End Medicare As We Know It

Statement

Today, the House committee on the Budget is considering the FY 2012 Concurrent Resolution, also known as the "Ryan Roadmap." In a marathon session that will last well into the evening, Congressman Paul Tonko introduced an amendment to protect seniors and Medicare. By a vote 22-16, the House Committee on the Budget voted against the amendment, along party lines. This was the only amendment offered to prevent Medicare's privatization and is likely the last opportunity to amend the bill before it is brought to a vote before the full House of Representatives next week.

"The Republican majority has called their budget a Path to Prosperity," said Congressman Paul Tonko. "However, their budget will pave a Road to Ruin for our nation's seniors by ending Medicare as we know it, while building a Road to Riches for millionaires, oil companies, and other special interests by offering them even more handouts and special tax breaks. This budget is all pain and no gain for our nation's middle class and working families. My amendment ensures that Medicare is guaranteed and that seniors have a reliable and reasonable source of dignity and security as they age. It is a shame that this amendment was not adopted, but I will continue to fight to protect Medicare."

The amendment ensures that Medicare will not be dissolved and replaced with a voucher system. It protects Medicare, as well as other vulnerable health programs -- including Tricare coverage for our troops and military families and VA coverage for our veterans -- from being subject to privatization or arbitrary spending caps that would cut benefits and effectively ration care.

Congressman Paul Tonko continued: "Chairman Paul Ryan's Road to Ruin budget ends Medicare. Taking trillions from seniors by ending Medicare and rationing senior care to balance the budget was not enough. They had to add insult to injury. Where did they shift the savings? If you guessed - permanent tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and new tax breaks to corporations making billions - you guessed right. "

Source