OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Medicare Premium Fairness Act

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 24, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Senior Citizens Entitlements and the Safety Net Health Insurance

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Mr. WELCH. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important bill that is going to make a real difference in Vermont to about 130,000 seniors. That's the number of people who receive Social Security benefits in the State of Vermont, and 41 percent, Mr. Speaker--about 52,000 people--rely on Social Security for fully 90 percent of their income. They're going to get a zero increase in their cost of living, but on the other hand, they're going to get an increase in premiums which could be $110, $120 a month. That is a hammer to their finances for the month.

We have a bipartisan commitment to Social Security. The situation our seniors face is as a result of the recession, something over which they have no control but are very much affected by. This modest legislation is going to be a lifeline of support for seniors in Vermont, and my hope is that we will pass it on a strong bipartisan basis.

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