Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday after Democrats objected to passing to the Grassley-McConnell Medicare plan, and even objected to a 18-month extension of current law:
“Our greatest successes this Congress have come when both sides worked together. We have seen it many times from last year’s energy bill to the economic stimulus package.
“And we started down the same path when we began Medicare discussions. Both sides wanted to prevent cuts to physicians in the Medicare program, preserve access to the quality medical care our seniors have come to depend on and improve the program with things like electronic prescribing.
“Unfortunately, the Majority walked away from these bipartisan discussions.
“With the deadline for action approaching at the end of next week, we should pass a bill.
“I am willing to consider many different options. Sen. Grassley crafted a bill that will protect Medicare benefits for seniors and that could be signed into law, which should be passed today in the Senate. But the Majority has objected to that.
“If the other benefits and improvements to the Medicare program are unacceptable to the Majority, my side is willing to merely extend the bill that was passed in December of last year for 18 months with a 1.1 percent update for 2009. It was acceptable enough to pass 6 months ago by Unanimous Consent so it should be acceptable enough now. It is critical that we prevent these cuts from taking effect and this bill would do just that. But the Majority has objected to that bipartisan approach.
“I’m confused. I thought the Democrats were interested in preserving seniors’ access to physicians from being compromised.
“As physicians face a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement, we need to be working together. I know I speak for myself as well as Sen. Grassley when I say we remain hopeful that the Majority will stop playing partisan politics and return to the negotiating table so that we can quickly pass this much-needed legislation.”
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“Our greatest successes this Congress have come when both sides worked together. We have seen it many times from last year’s energy bill to the economic stimulus package.
“And we started down the same path when we began Medicare discussions. Both sides wanted to prevent cuts to physicians in the Medicare program, preserve access to the quality medical care our seniors have come to depend on and improve the program with things like electronic prescribing.
“Unfortunately, the Majority walked away from these bipartisan discussions.
“With the deadline for action approaching at the end of next week, we should pass a bill.
“I am willing to consider many different options. Sen. Grassley crafted a bill that will protect Medicare benefits for seniors and that could be signed into law, which should be passed today in the Senate. But the Majority has objected to that.
“If the other benefits and improvements to the Medicare program are unacceptable to the Majority, my side is willing to merely extend the bill that was passed in December of last year for 18 months with a 1.1 percent update for 2009. It was acceptable enough to pass 6 months ago by Unanimous Consent so it should be acceptable enough now. It is critical that we prevent these cuts from taking effect and this bill would do just that. But the Majority has objected to that bipartisan approach.
“I’m confused. I thought the Democrats were interested in preserving seniors’ access to physicians from being compromised.
“As physicians face a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement, we need to be working together. I know I speak for myself as well as Sen. Grassley when I say we remain hopeful that the Majority will stop playing partisan politics and return to the negotiating table so that we can quickly pass this much-needed legislation.”
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