Republican Budget: Assault on Medicare and Middle Class

Floor Speech

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, once again, Republicans in the House have put forward a budget that ends Medicare as we know it. This is an all-out Republican assault on Medicare and our Nation's middle class.

Who benefits from this Republican budget? Millionaires certainly do. Think Wall Street Bonus Boys. This Republican budget would give them an additional tax cut of $187,000--that's for starters--yet lower and middle class Americans, people making $20,000 to $30,000 a year, they get no tax cut at all.

This Republican budget also gives away $3 trillion in tax cuts and benefits to corporations. Republicans' real priorities: cutting the safety net, giving the superrich a handout, and ignoring the damage to the deficit.

The Republicans would end the promise of Medicare for both current and future beneficiaries by shifting the program to private insurance financed by vouchers. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that the Republican budget would reduce benefits to seniors and force many to spend much more than they do today.

Why are the Republicans so intent on making seniors sacrifice first? Why not claw back Wall Street's bonuses?

I urge my colleagues to vote against the Republican budget. Support the Democratic alternative. Protect seniors and our middle class.

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