Preventing Paygo Sequestration

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 1868 to prevent arbitrary cuts to Medicare and to ensure that the American Rescue Plan is treated in the same way as previous coronavirus bills have been treated, including the CARES Act.

This legislation, as we all know, this fix is needed to avoid painful cuts to our mandatory spending programs. And let's remember--the hypocrisy is overwhelming here--that the Democrats voted with Republicans in 2017 to avoid Medicare cuts as a result of the Republican's tax scam, a $2 trillion tax cut, that went mostly to the wealthy.

Our healthcare workers have been working nonstop for over a year fighting this pandemic. They do not deserve a cut in Medicare payments for taking care of seniors and people with disabilities.

By removing the sequester, we can ensure that providers keep their doors open and they can continue to treat their patients.

Though Republicans voted against the American Rescue Plan, which they shouldn't have, I sincerely hope that today they will join us and vote to protect these programs that enjoy broad bipartisan public support and ensure that our commitment to our Nation's seniors and people with disabilities are met during this public health crisis.

Especially now, we need to be working together, as we did for the Republicans. When the Republicans were giving tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, we were not going to let Medicare suffer.

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