Protecting American Seniors

Floor Speech

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, as Democratic leaders retreat behind closed doors to craft their government takeover of health care, American seniors are rightly concerned about what $500 billion in cuts in Medicare will mean to them.

Throughout this process, Democrats have made clear that they intend to force American seniors to carry a large share of the cost of reform, and this includes eliminating Medicare Advantage. Democrats understand how negative the reaction will be when seniors learn that they are scrapping this program, so they have placed a gag order on companies that provide this coverage, stopping them from communicating with seniors on the ramifications of this change.

That's right, the Democrats who promised transparency and accountability have gone behind closed doors to craft legislation and have used the power of government to stop dissenters from communicating with American seniors. Well, American seniors are right to be concerned.

With the job-killing tax increases the Democrats are also talking about, American workers need to be concerned as well, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps that is why the Democrat majority will not allow us to have 72 hours to read the bill before it's voted on.

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