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Senator LeMieux: "This is Budget Gimmickry..."

Statement

Date: Dec. 10, 2009
Issues: Senior Citizens Unemployed and Low-Income Entitlements and the Safety Net Health Insurance Criminal Justice

U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) today during floor debate in the Senate discussed the budget maneuvers congressional Democrats have put into the health care bill introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). The bill cuts Medicare for seniors and raises taxes immediately while delaying implementing any potential benefits for four years. LeMieux made the point that this proposal essentially takes 10 years to pay for a six year program.

"When you increase Medicaid, the states pay the vast majority of that, and because they balance their budgets they are going to have to cut something else," LeMieux said. "They're going to have to cut teachers or they're going to have to cut law enforcement. So we steal from seniors, we steal from the states, we raise taxes, and we don't cut the cost of health care for most Americans."

Senator LeMieux, along with several republican colleagues, also highlighted the lack of bipartisan support on this legislation that stands to affect every single America and one-sixth of the nation's economy.


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