Healthcare

"The Patient’s Bill of Rights is making quality health coverage more affordable for millions of seniors, with significant prescription drug savings and free preventative health screenings," Congressman Garamendi said. "This is good new for every American who hopes to retire with dignity, and it’s only possible because President Obama and Democrats in Congress were willing to take the tough votes necessary to improve our health care system."

"As California's Insurance Commissioner for eight years, I've seen firsthand how, if left unchecked, the rapacious greed of insurance companies can destroy lives and bankrupt families."

"As our men and women return from Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, PTSD is a growing problem. You see it in your communities and among your parishioners," Congressman Garamendi said. "We cannot turn our backs on our wounded warriors. We're here today to make sure that men and women who risked everything have everything they need to rebuild their lives. With your help, veterans in our community will not be left behind."

I support the ongoing negotiations to use the legislative process to raise the debt limit and responsibly reduce the deficit. However, If Congressional Republicans insist on gutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, student aid, and food safety as an absolutist precondition to raising the debt limit, then I encourage the President to simply pursue the Constitutional option fail-safe already available to him.

"We have no right at this time, or any time in the future, to harm those who are on Social Security. Period," Congressman Garamendi said.

"While we agree on the need to address the nation’s long-term deficits, shifting the costs of Medicaid expenditures such as nursing facilities and hospice care onto individuals not only creates excessive hardship on families with aging relatives, it does little to alleviate rising health care costs," they continued. "According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid spending grew significantly slower (4.6 percent) per capita than private insurance premiums (7.7 percent) over the past decade."

The Republican proposal on the floor here would make it impossible for California to do what it wants to do. That is set up a marketplace where people have access to insurance. The notion being that by creating the exchange, you spread the risk across many populations, so that, like a huge corporation, you have an opportunity as an individual purchaser or small business to participate in a large pool and accept the lower rate of insurance.

"I voted against the 2012 Republican budget, because it does not reflect my values or the priorities of our great country. I for one did not come to Washington to destroy Medicare, an effective, affordable, and popular program that provides the peace of mind of quality health coverage to 47 million seniors and persons with disabilities....