Senate Proceeding 07-15-08 on Jul 15th, 2008 :: 3:19:49 to 3:39:49
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3:17:31 to 3:19:49( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Debbie Stabenow

3:19:41 to 3:19:49( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: is all about. and we stand with you to strengthen it, to add to the services available and to modernize it for the future. i urge a strong bipartisan vote to override this president's a vote veto.

3:19:49 to 3:20:01( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: the presiding officer: the assistant majority leader. mr. durbin: i ask to besk recogn ized for two minutes. the presiding officer: without objection.ct mr. durbin: mr. president, we have an opportunity

3:19:49 to 3:22:02( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Richard Durbin

3:20:01 to 3:20:12( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: once every decade, maybe once every generation to aaffirm our commitment to some of the most fundamental values in this country. the medicare is not just another government program. the medicare program said

3:20:12 to 3:20:24( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: in the early 1960's that the united states was committed to our senior citizens andit that that commitment involved making certain that they would always have access to affordable, quality health

3:20:24 to 3:20:36( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: care. there were many at the time who were skeptical and said it was too much government. it's socialism. it goes too far. well, thank goodness their voices were drowned out by reason. the understanding

3:20:36 to 3:20:46( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: without this protection, seniors could lose every penny they would save to a medical crisis. medica re passed. and it worked. the proof of its success is the fact that senior citizens now live longer

3:20:46 to 3:20:58( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: than ever because of the quality of health care they have available through medicare. skeptics have returned and said, well, let's get rid of that system. what we ought to do is bring in privat e health

3:20:58 to 3:21:07( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: care insurance companies. they call it medicare advantage. we let them try over the last 10 years or so and they tried at considerably more expense are not offering benefits ass good as basic medicare.

3:21:07 to 3:21:19( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: ic this bill that we're going to consider overriding the president's veto on very shortly say that's some of the money they've taken out of the system and out of the program has to be returned to taxpayers.

3:21:19 to 3:21:33( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: that's fair. fair competence for doctors, make certain that medicare is there for the seniors who need. it make certain that tricare is kept up to dateke in reimbursement. but most important, this

3:21:33 to 3:22:02( Edit History Discussion )

Richard Durbin: vote today on overriding president bush's ill-fated veto is a reaffirmation of how important medicare is to america's future. it was a strong bipartisan vote of 69 w ho voted just a week or so ago in favor

3:22:02 to 3:22:12( Edit History Discussion )

of this measure. i hope that the vote today in the senate reflects an even stronger bipartisan commitment to the future of medicare. i yield theld floor.or the presiding officer: who yields time? mr.

3:22:12 to 3:22:23( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: durbin: mr. president, i i suggests the absence of a quorum. it's my understanding that time during quorum will be taken evenly from both sides. the pr esiding officer: it requires unanimous consent.

3:22:12 to 3:26:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Byron Dorgan

3:22:23 to 3:22:33( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: mr. durbin: i ask unanimous consent then unless -- if there's s omeone on the republican side seeking recognition. the presiding officer: is there i object ion? a senator: mr. president, reserving

3:22:33 to 3:22:50( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: my right to object. mr. kyl: senator grassley on our side is responsible for this and i would really prefer to consult with him. . i would ask my colleague to wait for just a moment on that request andet

3:22:50 to 3:23:06( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: me see if we can find senator grassley here.e. then i ask unanimous consent that we go -- mr. durbin : i ask unanimous a consent that we go into a quorum call and not charge either side. if there's

3:23:06 to 3:23:16( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: no objection. mr. kyl: have the time run for at least a little bit here. mr. durbin: i see senator dorgan's on the floor. i withdraw my request and ask senator dorgan be recognized for two minutes.

3:23:16 to 3:23:29( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: the presiding officer: without objection. mr. dorgan: mr. president, my colleagues have dcoescribe it had well. i think this is a very important vote. and i think the reason we've gotten t this point

3:23:29 to 3:23:47( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: describes how difficult it is to get anything done in this chamber. i mean, i come from a state that is first in the nation in the number of people 80 years old or older, asde a per capita part oft our

3:23:47 to 3:24:03( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: population, i think we're in the top five or six, 65 years orrs older population perpe capita. medicare is so unbelievably important to the folks who live in my state. does anybody really think it

3:24:03 to 3:24:13( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: really serves the interest of this medicare to say, well, you know what, let's decide on provider cuts in this case physician cuts of 10.6%; let's just take a big 10.6% whack of reimbursements and

3:24:13 to 3:24:23( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: it won'tts matter. it won't affect the program. amit doesn't make any sense to do that. what we need to do is strengthen he the program. that's what the underlying bill does. we've had an awful time tulrying

3:24:23 to 3:24:38( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: to pull that through the congress. we finally got it through the congress and then we have the president veto the bill. i mean, you know, we had a colleague come out of his sick bed to fly to washington,

3:24:38 to 3:24:50( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: d.c., to cast the 60th vote after which, you know, the other side collapsed and we got nine other votes. but this is very important. this is about who we are as a country, what we decide to invest

3:24:50 to 3:25:01( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: in. you know, it's said 100 years from now we'll all be dead. i guess it's not just said. that's a fact. and -- and only historians will w take a look at our value system. they can take a look what

3:25:01 to 3:25:13( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: the we decided to do as a congress. how did we decide to do as an economy? what did we think was important? what wereat our value systems here? did we believe that the medicare program providing

3:25:13 to 3:25:32( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: health care to america's he elderly was a successful program or did we decide we wanted to begin to take it apart? that's what this vote is about. i don't understand at all why the president decided

3:25:32 to 3:25:48( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: to veto this. this passedis the house of representatives by a margin of 6-1 and got 69 votes in the united states senate. and the president decides to exercise his veto? it's unpathonnable to me how how much

3:25:48 to 3:26:01( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: moneyon we shovel out of this building and how much thehe president recommends when we spend it overseas. i mean, what, $170, $178 billion in emergency funding for iraq and all a of these programs

3:26:01 to 3:26:14( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: tgro funnish these accounts, and contractor abuses. somehow that makes sense and suddenly you're going to invest in the medicare program and that is not valuable the president suggests. it doesn't

3:26:14 to 3:26:26( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: make sense to me. in this bill we tried to address the problem for the disparty reimbursements for some of the states. some of the states, mine included, receive reimbursements under the medicare

3:26:26 to 3:26:39( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: program providing health care that are dramatically different than reimbursements in other areas. . that seems to describe that without fixing that, there will be a degradation of medical m servic es

3:26:39 to 3:26:50( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: if we don't fix w that. this bill addresses part of that. that's why this bill is so critically important. i hope that we will have a resounding vote overriding the president's veto at 6:00. the presiding

3:26:50 to 3:27:02( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: officer: the senator's time has expired. mr. kyl: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. kyl: if senator grassley arrives, ive will defer to him. let me make some commentsme

3:26:50 to 3:33:30( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Jon Kyl

3:27:02 to 3:27:13( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: here.er it is distressing that the effect of this bill has been misrepresented as it has. there have been wild claims thatla it has to do with killing medica re, punishing p doctors, it has to

3:27:13 to 3:27:26( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: do with hurting america's seniors. this is not the language of a reasoned debate inre the united states senate. the bill has nothing to do with any of those things and all of my colleagues know that.

3:27:26 to 3:27:40( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: let me describe why we are where we are today. and just take a minute to remind everyone of the promise thaf t we made to america's seniors five years ago. the 2003 medicare modernization act achieved two

3:27:40 to 3:27:52( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: very important goals. the first was to provide comprehensive drug coverage, prescription drug coverage. a very important benefit for america's seniors. and, secondly, to expand private health plan

3:27:52 to 3:28:06( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: choices similar to the options available to members of congress and other federal employees. we wanted america's seniors, medicare patients,me to havee the same kind of private health insurance optio

3:28:06 to 3:28:18( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: ns for medicare that all of us have. and today as a result of this plan, somewhere in theth neighborhood of one-fourth of america' s seniors have taken advantage of this private insurance alternative

3:28:18 to 3:28:34( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: to traditional medicare. now, i know from the beginning there were a lot of people, particularly on the other side of the aisle that didn't like that. they wanted one size fits all. one program. republicans

3:28:34 to 3:28:45( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: said we need more choices here.~ and seniors have been very happy with prescription drug benefits and with those choices. the problem with this bill is that it cuts both the choices for america's seniors

3:28:45 to 3:28:59( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: and negatively impacts the prescription drug coverage. that's why members on this side of the aisle have said they would like to see an opportunity to amend the bill, to try to fix the bill, to have

3:28:59 to 3:29:15( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: a bipartisan bill instead. but, no, we were jammed not once, not twice, but three times. take it or leave it. it's the partisan approach. despite the fact that the chairman and ranking member of the committee

3:29:15 to 3:29:30( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: had negotiated in good faith a bipartisan approach, which i supported, and many on our side -- i think all all -- nonetheless we had to revert to a strictly partisan approach. that's wha t this thing

3:29:30 to 3:29:41( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: was all about. it was not about covering the physicians to make sure they didn't take a pay cut. i doubt there is any senator that doesn't support the 1.1% increase in physician reimbursement increase

3:29:41 to 3:29:56( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: for physicians whoic treat medicare patients. we all support that. it was in the grassley proposal. it was in the baucus proposal. it was in the bipartisan grassley and baucus proposal. so, this

3:29:56 to 3:30:07( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: was never about that. none of the republicans ever opposed providing the physicians their update. what it had to do mostly with was an attempt that has been undertaken here for many years to undercut

3:30:07 to 3:30:19( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: the private insurance part of medicare that many on the other side of the aisle have never liked. and it's one of the signature achievements of the bush administration. and it's no wonder that the president

3:30:19 to 3:30:31( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: vetoed the bill because of the fact that that was hurt. first of all, i would note that according to the congressional budget office, as a result of this bill, 2.3 million seniors will be removed from

3:30:31 to 3:30:47( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: their private coverage option under medicare. that's one of the effects of this bill. so i can honestly say instead of all the scare tactics that you've heard, voting for this bill, voting to override

3:30:47 to 3:31:04( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: the president's veto will result, according to nonpartisan congressional budget office, in the removal of 2.3 million american seniors from this health care option. that is not a good result. and here's what

3:31:04 to 3:31:15( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: the president's veto message partially said today. "the provisions that would enable the standards of effective drugs would effectively end the negotiations between medicare drug plans and pharmaceutical

3:31:15 to 3:31:30( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: manufacturers for those classes. if as is likely, it results in the number of increases in particular classes, it will lead to increased beneficiary premiums and copayments, higher drug prices and lower

3:31:30 to 3:31:41( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: drug rebates." that's the second pernicious effect of this bill. it will undermine medicare prescription drug plan's ability to negotiate good drug prices for seniors. i know that some on the other side

3:31:41 to 3:31:54( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: of the aisle were always skeptical of the ability to bring down drug prices. but, in fact, the medicare t part-d has reduced drug prices precisely because of this competition in the market. now,

3:31:54 to 3:32:10( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: this bill partially eliminates that competition. these are the reasons why some of us oppose the bill. they are good and legitimate reasons, and i believe the president was correct to veto the bill because

3:32:10 to 3:32:23( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: of these provisions. now, five years after the medicare passage, we're rewinding the clock, chipping away at the very plan choices and the prescription drug drug choices that seniors asked congress

3:32:23 to 3:32:36( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: to provide. this bill reduces access, benefits and choice for medicare beneficiaries. and, in con khraourbgs mr. president, it was a very flawed process. as we know, there was an w attempt at a bipartisan

3:32:36 to 3:32:50( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: solution. there are 51 democrats and 49 republicans. you think republicans could have a say in writing the legislation, but, no, that was not to be. we were required to deal with the take-it-or leave-it proposal

3:32:50 to 3:33:07( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: of the majority. and, twice the majority walked away from these bipartisan negotiations that i talked about before. when we tried to suggest at a minimum that we should extend the existing law so

3:33:07 to 3:33:17( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: that doctors would not see the reduction in their payments, we were thaoeld it was an exercise -- a phony exercise. it was in fact a goofaith effort on our part to make sure patients would be protected.

3:33:17 to 3:33:30( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: i supported the need for a positive physician update. and i know the physicians in arizona know that i mean that when i say that. i've led the fight for this in past years. but i'm strongly dispointed

3:33:30 to 3:33:46( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: that the senate was -- disappointed that the senate was blocked from a bipartisan solution and regret that seniors, as a result, are going to suffer as a result of this legislation's adoption.

3:33:30 to 3:34:49( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Debbie Stabenow

3:33:46 to 3:33:59( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: . a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: who yields time? mr reid: -- senator stabenow. the presiding officer: withoutth objection. ms. stabenow: thank you, mr. esident. with all due respect to my

3:33:59 to 3:34:10( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: friend from arizona, i just want to make it clear that there are no rate cuts for any provider in this legislation. tias it relates to rate increases, the privatization that's been put in place over

3:34:10 to 3:34:26( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: the last three years has actually raised rates according to the congressional budget office for the 85% of seniors and the disabled who use traditio nal medicare. but there are no re cuts. there is

3:34:26 to 3:34:39( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: a small change that doesn't even take effect until 2011 to give the opportunity for the private fee-for-service entities to be able to make the changes by 2011. so, with all due respect, this is in

3:34:39 to 3:34:49( Edit History Discussion )

Debbie Stabenow: no way a dramatic change, a cut in services, orate reductions for any provider, including the privava insurancens providers. thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: who yields time? mr.

3:34:49 to 3:35:03( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: kyl: mr. president, i just want to make it clear, i never conten ded that there was a ratree reduction. what i said was that all senators, i suspect, on both sides of the aisle support not having

3:35:03 to 3:35:14( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: a 10.6% cut in physician fees, that we all support the 1.1% positive update. that was never the issue here. the issue had to do with the other items that i talked about. and the fact that 2.3 million

3:35:14 to 3:35:26( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: seniors will lose their coverage option does not have to do with a rate cut. it has to do with the way that the medicare advantage program was used as an offset to pay for the additional benefits

3:35:26 to 3:35:36( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: in the bill as a result of which c.b.o. claims and believes -- and i believe that they're probably correct -- that 2.3 million seniors will lose their private option coverage. mr. president, i am willing

3:35:36 to 3:35:44( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: to yield back thehe time. i've been informed senatoror grassley cannot be haoerbgs so i'm willing to yield back the time on the republican side and yid to the majorityit leader. mr. reid: mr.

3:35:44 to 3:36:02( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: president,: it's my under standing there's two minutes left on our side. the presiding officee r: the majority leader is correct. mr. reid: thank you, mr. president. pr i'm going to yield tghat time

3:36:02 to 3:36:16( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: to senator schumer. i have a short statement. i'll use leader time, maybe two and a half minutes, after that. i yield two minutes to senator baucus. the presiding officer: the senator from montana.

3:36:02 to 3:37:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Max Baucus

3:36:16 to 3:36:29( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: mr. baucus: mr. president, m sometimes when the senators vote v in this chamber, c the real-world results or actions are unclear, , but tonight is not the case. tonight we can make a real-world

3:36:29 to 3:36:45( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: difference for 44 million american seniors and for 9 million tricare users in america's military families. in less than an hour, the senate will vote -- in fact very shortly -- to override the president's

3:36:45 to 3:37:00( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: veto on the medicare bill. here is the difference that our votes will make. doctors' doors stay open to older americans and to the children of fighting american men and women? will seniors living

3:37:00 to 3:37:13( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: on a shoestring be able to get decent health care when hospitals are few and far between? our votes will make that difference. will the ambulances keep running? will benefits keep coverage with medicare

3:37:13 to 3:37:27( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: prescription drugsc plans? the president made his decision, his vetoed medicare bill would shut the doctor's doors to seniors, military families on all ideological grounds. my bill does good things for

3:37:27 to 3:37:45( Edit History Discussion )

Max Baucus: seniors. it makes medicare for every beneficiary. the house has already voted to overvied the veto whoefrplgly: 383-41. folks, in my home state i'm going to do what's right and vote to make the

3:37:45 to 3:37:56( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: medicare bill law for the montana seniors. today a large rally of folks supporting this bill to kao ep and this will be our finest hour. i hope and expect the senators will stand together. senators

3:37:45 to 3:40:57( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Harry Reid

3:37:56 to 3:38:08( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: of all parties have one more chance to make all the difference. let's do what's right for seniors. let's do what's right for military families. let's do what's right for america. let's do it together

3:38:08 to 3:38:21( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: and enact medicare improvement for patients and providers act. mr. reid: mr. president, i will use leader time. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: it may have taken one flourish with

3:38:21 to 3:38:31( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: a pen to affix the name lyndon baines johnson to the law that created medicare in 1965 but that one pen strokeok created a program that has come to reflect a bedrock american principle: that all those

3:38:31 to 3:38:43( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: seniors who worked hard and all those who need a helping hand will find themselves embraced by the care of a compassionate nation. though medicare was created by a democratic congress and democratic

3:38:43 to 3:39:01( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: president, tnthat principle has always been anchored far too deep in our soil to have partisanship entangle. when the program has been threatened, democrats and republicans have risen to the t occasion

3:39:01 to 3:39:13( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: to protect it. so it was last month when the house of representatives approved the doctor's fix by an overwhelming vote of 355-59. sofs last week when senator kennedy led -- so was last week when senator

3:39:13 to 3:39:30( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: kennedy led a veto proof of democrats and 18 republicans voting "yes." so it was a couple of hours ago, as senator baus mentioned, when the house voted to override president bush's veto by a vote

3:39:30 to 3:39:43( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: of 383-41. so it must be now as we follow suit to reject the veto and place this legislation into law. on the july day in 1965 when the president johnson signed the original medicare bill, he said

3:39:43 to 3:40:00( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: this -- and i quote -- "just think, because of this document and the long years of struggle which so many have put into creating it in this town and 1,000 other towns just like it, there are men