Rep. Janice Hahn urges colleagues to protect seniors, and focus on jobs.

WASHINGTON D.C., July 19– Getting to work on her first day in Congress, Rep. Janice Hahn announced that she would vote to oppose the Republican plan to "cut, cap, and end Medicare," calling it a "false choice" and a back door to balancing the budget on the backs of Seniors and America’s most vulnerable people.

The plan, presented by Tea Party extremists in Congress, would force drastic cuts in Medicare and Medicaid in order to maintain tax breaks for the super rich.  Instead, Hahn urged common sense solutions to create jobs, focus on the economy, and protect Medicare and Social Security for future generations of Americans.

"This plan presents a false choice for Americans," Hahn said.  "It will force seniors and other vulnerable citizens to pay for more tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and corporate jet owners.  It’s not right, and it’s not a fair way to balance our budget."

Republicans are set to vote for the "Cut, Cap, and Balance Act" today– an attempt to enshrine into law and our constitution an agenda that undermines our economic growth, puts seniors’ health at risk, and does nothing to address Americans’ top priority: jobs.
 
Hahn also signed-on today to the Congressional Progressive Caucus letter to Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, expressing strong support for her position that "we are not going to balance the budget on the backs of America’s seniors, women and people with disabilities" and that "we do not support cuts in benefits" for vital safety-net programs.

Hahn continued, "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I do not support cuts to Social Security and Medicare.  I commend the President and stand behind him on his commitment to veto the ‘Cut, Cap, and Balance Act,’ and urge him to protect these critical programs for millions of Americans."
Rep. Janice Hahn, a former Los Angeles City Councilwoman, was sworn in today as the newest Member of Congress after winning the special election last week in California’s 36th Congressional District.  Hahn replaces former Congresswoman Jane Harman, and represents the Los Angeles area communities of Venice, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Lomita, San Pedro, Harbor City, and Wilmington.