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Sen. Cornyn Statement In Support Of Veto Override On Medicare Cuts
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Vice-Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, made the following statement this evening regarding his vote in support of overriding the President’s veto of H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.
“I recognize, and share, many of the President’s concerns with how this recent Medicare debate has devolved. It’s clear that Senate Democrats were more concerned with scoring short-term political points, than with passing a long-term solution that would protect Medicare for future generations. They chose to run out the clock, avoid the tough decisions, and delay consideration of a long-term solution for a date uncertain. I hope all those who support Medicare, as I do, take note of that when this debate returns to the Senate 18 months from now -- when an even more harmful 20 percent cut in reimbursement rates is scheduled to be enacted.
“I joined with a majority of my colleagues in voting to override the President’s veto, because I could not in good conscience allow this year’s cuts to go forward. Texas seniors deserve access to quality health care. That is why this short-term fix does not free Congress from avoiding its long-term responsibility to protect Medicare. No one wants to fix this system and do away with the annual cuts that threaten doctors and beneficiaries more than I do. I am the only member of the Senate who has introduced a long-term fix to the broken repayment system this year.
“I will continue to push for a permanent fix. Seniors, physicians and the American people deserve real solutions and not the partisan rhetoric we have seen in recent weeks.”
Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.
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