[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9050]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICARE

  Mr. REID. Madam President, on this side of the aisle, we Democrats 
want to protect seniors on Medicare. That is our top priority. I have 
heard my friend, the ranking member of the Budget Committee, come here 
and talk for hours, and he keeps talking about things that really have 
no bearing on what I think is important for the country today.
  We know the Republicans have put forward a budget that destroys 
Medicare. That is what we received. We voted on it over here, and it 
was turned down. It must be the Republicans' top priority because we 
have had votes on the Senate floor protecting taxpayer handouts, 
especially to oil companies. We had a full debate here that suggested 
we take this money that now goes to these oil companies--and even 
executives have said that they do not want the money, that they do not 
need the money--and apply it toward the deficit. Overwhelmingly, the 
Republicans voted no, so we couldn't get it done. So it appears clear 
they would rather balance the budget on the backs of seniors and 
Medicare than end the constant giveaways to oil and gas companies 
making billions a year in profits. These oil companies have made the 
largest profits in the history of the world. In the last quarter, they 
had $36 billion in net profits.
  The Republicans' plan to end Medicare as we know it would put 
insurance company bureaucrats between seniors and their doctors and 
raise seniors' drug costs, forcing them to pay $6,400 more out-of-
pocket costs every year. The American people are overwhelmingly opposed 
to this plan to end Medicare. A poll released yesterday showed that 
less than half the Republicans support the Republicans' plan to end 
Medicare. Overwhelmingly, Independents and Democrats joined with these 
Republicans who oppose the Republicans' plan to end Medicare.
  We believe there is a need to reduce our deficit. That is why we have 
been working with Vice President Biden. Representing the Democrats in 
the Senate, Senator Inouye, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, 
and Senator Baucus, chairman of the Finance Committee, are meeting with 
Vice President Biden, and progress is being made.
  There is no question we should be closing tax loopholes and targeting 
wasteful giveaways to oil companies. I am sure Vice President Biden is 
leading the Senators and House Members toward that end. Closing these 
tax loopholes and targeting wasteful giveaways to the oil companies 
making these record profits while charging--Madam President, here in 
the Washington, DC, area, as I do my morning exercise, I walk past a 
station right off the waterfront where gasoline is $5 a gallon. I 
haven't looked at it since this past week, but that is what it is. It 
is over $4 a gallon all over the United States, in many, many different 
places. We should be focusing on that instead of ending Medicare.
  So I tell my friend, the ranking member of the Budget Committee, come 
and talk about the Republican plan to end Medicare as we know it. And 
what about the subsidies for these oil companies. Shouldn't we get rid 
of them? It is time the Republicans abandoned their ideological plan to 
end Medicare and work with us to strengthen and preserve our promise to 
seniors instead.
  Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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