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27770 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 20 November 17, 2009 SENATE—Tuesday, November 17, 2009 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- a 2,000-page, as the Wall Street Journal called to order by the Honorable RO- pore. The clerk will call the roll. called it, ‘‘monstrosity.’’ In the area of LAND W. BURRIS, a Senator from the The legislative clerk proceeded to the Medicare cuts, what does that State of Illinois. call the roll. mean? When you say you are going to Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- cut Medicare by $1⁄2 trillion over 10 PRAYER imous consent that the order for the years, what does it mean? It means The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- quorum call be rescinded. cuts to hospitals, cuts to Medicare Ad- fered the following prayer: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- vantage, cuts to nursing homes, cuts to Eternal God, source of our strength, pore. Without objection, it is so or- home health care, and cuts to hospice. we come before You today remem- dered. Those vital programs would be collec- bering that Your presence and power The majority leader is recognized. tively subjected to $1⁄2 trillion in cuts sustain us during life’s rigorous de- f over 10 years. Focusing on hospice, this is the sec- mands. Lord, it is comforting to know SCHEDULE that in every situation You are always tion of the bill that deals with hospice. present to empower us with Your love. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I apologize The legalese is a little bit mind-bog- Today, use our lawmakers as instru- to my counterpart, the distinguished gling, but to give you a sense of how ments of Your peace and love. Examine Senator from Kentucky, for not being these things are written, it says, ‘‘Sub- their hearts and minds, providing them here, but I was occupied outside the clause (VII) of section’’—and it goes on: with the courage to walk continually Chamber. 1814(i)(1)(c)(ii) of the Social Security in Your truth. Look favorably upon Mr. President, following leader re- Act . is amended by inserting after ‘‘the their efforts to build a better nation marks, there will be a period for morn- market basket percentage increase’’ the fol- ing business for 1 hour, with Senators lowing: ‘‘(which is subject to the produc- and world, guiding them with Your tivity adjustment . ’’ wisdom. permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The majority will control the Described in another section. Lord, lead our Nation also. May our You would have to be steeped in efforts at home and abroad reflect Your first 30 minutes, the Republicans will control the final 30 minutes. legalese and minutia to understand character and grace. what that means, so I am going to in- We pray in Your Holy Name. Amen. Following morning business, the Sen- ate will resume consideration of H.R. terpret it for our colleagues so they f 3082, the Military Construction-Vet- will know what that means. It means PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE erans Affairs appropriations bill. Sev- an $8 billion cut to hospice. That is what that language means, an $8 bil- The Honorable ROLAND W. BURRIS led eral amendments are still in order to lion cut to hospice. the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: the bill. We expect a vote for up to What does that mean for seniors? Ac- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the three of those amendments prior to lunch. Following the recess, we will cording to Victoria Scarborough, who United States of America, and to the Repub- is a nurse in Danville, KY, it means lic for which it stands, one nation under God, have a number of votes we have to indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. take. It is important that we do that. sacrificing patient care. Here is what she had to say about the prospect of an f The Senate will recess from 12:30 to 2:15 $8 billion cut to hospice: APPOINTMENT OF ACTING for the weekly party caucuses, but fol- lowing the recess the Senate will pro- We are able to do this—provide excellent PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE health care at low cost—because we are ceed to vote in relation to the Inhofe present at the bedside with the patient, sit- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment, No. 2774, to be followed by clerk will please read a communication ting at the kitchen table, holding a spouse’s a vote on passage of the bill, as amend- hand. We depend upon our highly skilled per- to the Senate from the President pro ed. sonnel; our ‘‘services’’ are our people. For tempore (Mr. BYRD). Upon disposition of H.R. 3082, there hospices the productivity adjustment makes The legislative clerk read the fol- will be 1 hour of debate prior to a clo- little sense, we need our people. lowing letter: ture vote on the nomination of David That illustrates the impact of an $8 U.S. SENATE, Hamilton to be U.S. circuit judge for billion cut in hospice. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, the Seventh Circuit. On the chart behind me, I mention WASHINGTON, DC, NOVEMBER 17, 2009. f the other areas that are being cut: hos- To the Senate: pitals, Medicare Advantage, nursing Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY homes, home health, and hospice, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby LEADER appoint the Honorable ROLAND W. BURRIS, a which I just described. Senator from the State of Illinois, to per- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Another cut would be to Medicare form the duties of the Chair. pore. The Republican leader is recog- Advantage. The section of the bill— ROBERT C. BYRD, nized. this is the front page—dealing with the President pro tempore. f Medicare Advantage reforms, they are Mr. BURRIS thereupon assumed the called, says ‘‘Phase-In Of Payment chair as Acting President pro tempore. HEALTH CARE REFORM Based On Fee-For-Service Costs.’’ What f Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, we does that mean? What does ‘‘Phase-In know the House-passed health care bill Of Payment Based On Fee-For-Service RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY will cut Medicare, raise taxes, and Costs’’ mean? It means that $236 billion LEADER raise premiums. We also know the bill in cuts to Medicare will occur—$236 bil- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- being developed by the majority leader lion in this program out here, Medicare pore. The Republican leader. will do the same. This morning, I want Advantage, that will occur as a result Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, to focus on the $1⁄2 trillion cuts in of this bill. What does that mean, the pending the arrival of the majority Medicare—$1⁄2 trillion over 10 years. $236 billion of cuts to Medicare Advan- leader, I suggest the absence of a We have here the House-passed tage? The Congressional Budget Office quorum. health care bill in its entirety. This is has said it means fewer benefits for ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 15:34 May 25, 2012 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR09\S17NO9.000 S17NO9 pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD November 17, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 20 27771 seniors. That is the Congressional $24,000. To think that 10 years from What happened? Some private health Budget Office that says it means fewer now people will have to work to earn insurance companies did do it at a benefits for seniors. $2,000 a month just to pay for the lower cost but not all of them. In fact, Norma Hylton of Lexington, KY, re- health care for a small family tells you when it was all said and done, Medicare cently wrote: we have to make a change. Advantage, this so-called private res- Mr. Obama says he’ll take away the Medi- The Senator from Kentucky on the cue of the Medicare Program, ended up care Advantage plans. This makes us Republican side came to the floor to costing 14 percent more than the Medi- very concerned about the healthcare plans criticize not the Senate bill but the care Program itself. In other words, being debated. I truly believe all seniors House bill. I would say to the Senator the Medicare Program was subsidizing (maybe others) will suffer. from Kentucky, in all fairness, let’s ad- private health insurance companies We know the overall bill raises taxes, dress the Senate bill which will be re- that couldn’t keep their promise to de- raises health insurance premiums for ported this week. It has literally been liver Medicare at a lower cost. the 85 percent of Americans who al- reviewed by the Congressional Budget The Senator from Kentucky comes to ready have health insurance, and cuts Office for the last 3 or 4 weeks, and it the Chamber to defend those private 1 will come out this week and be posted Medicare by $ ⁄2 trillion. This morning, health insurance companies, defend the what I tried to do is point out what on the Internet for everyone to read in subsidy they receive at the expense of some of those cuts mean; what taking its entirety. At that point, I think the Medicare. That is unacceptable and in- $8 billion out of hospice means, this criticisms leveled by the Senator from defensible.

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