Lieberman Statement On Bush Medicare Comments

(November 13, 2003)

ARLINGTON, VA Joe Lieberman issued the following statement in response to President Bush's comments today pressing Congress to approve Medicare reform legislation:

"President Bush is right about one thing: seniors have waited long enough for a Medicare prescription drug benefit. But he is putting pressure in the wrong place.  Rather than urging Democrats to abandon the real needs of seniors, he should tell his fellow Republicans to stop their assault on traditional Medicare.

"I supported the Senate prescription drug benefit plan—unlike other Democratic candidates—because I thought we needed to take a first step to get seniors the lifesaving medicines they desperately need. But now, Republicans in Congress are tainting that compromise with partisan poison pills. They are trying to force seniors into private insurance plans and force through a deceptive provision that could sharply increase what seniors pay for traditional Medicare.

"Before the ink is dry on a final compromise, the Republicans need to remember that our goal is to honor our responsibilities to seniors, not cater to right wing ideologues."