John McCain

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Isn't the vitally important point in this discussion that this massive mountain being carved out of Medicare is not being used to save Medicare? It is creating a huge new entitlement program. So here we are with Medicare going broke in 7 years, and we are taking money out of it in order to create a new program. That is the crime that is being committed here.

Mr. McCAIN. Could I say again that we have had spirited debate and discussion on this floor, but it is clear the majority of the American people do not support the proposal that is before us, and they do not support meeting in private, mostly in secret, closed negotiations. Again, I renew our offer to the Democrats and to the administration: Let's get together in a room with the C-SPAN cameras and any other outlet, and let's sit down and do some serious negotiations on the areas we can agree on, which there are many, and let's save Medicare, let's fix this system, and let's do it together in the way the American people want us to--in a bipartisan fashion, not behind closed doors, so the American people can see us work together for a change. I thank all of my colleagues for their many contributions. We are ready to talk. We are ready to talk, but we won't be driven.

Mr. McCAIN. Could I ask the Senator from New Hampshire, the senior member on the Budget Committee, a person who is well-known for his knowledge of the economy, of the budgetary situation in America, what happens if we pass this massive bill? What happens to America's economy?

Mr. McCAIN. Go ahead.

Mr. McCAIN. On that point I think Senator Crapo wishes to exactly emphasize the point of Senator Gregg.

Mr. McCAIN. Has the Senator from New Hampshire ever heard of legislation where you pay in the first 4 years before a single benefit comes about? Nowadays I see these advertisements that you can buy a car and you don't have to make a payment for a year and then you can start making payments. In this deal it is the reverse; you make payments and then perhaps you get the benefits after some years. The Senator from Tennessee, I think, wishes to comment, too.

Mr. McCAIN. Senator Hutchison will conclude.

Mr. McCAIN. I thank my colleagues. It has been a lot of fun. I yield the floor.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I understand the Senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Casey, filed an amendment designed to spend $2.5 billion to protect Medicare Advantage benefits for Pennsylvanians. What is going on? What is going on here? Why can't we protect every citizen? That is five States that are ``protected'' and spending extra billions of dollars. Let's have an amendment that every State is treated the same. Let's do that. I tell my colleagues, I intend to introduce an amendment that will do so. That will take away the special exceptions that are taken for special States to have special influence around here.

Mr. McCAIN

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my colleagues and I--the Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Alexander; the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Coburn; Senator LeMieux from Florida; Senator Enzi; and Senator Crapo--be allowed to engage in a colloquy.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, how much time do we have?

Mr. McCAIN. Thank you. I will let those minutes run together, if there is no objection.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I wish to begin our conversation with a brief comment about the American Association of Retired Persons, known as the AARP, that has now come out against this amendment, incredibly. It is a fascinating history of that liberal Democratic group because, in 1993, when we had some savings in Medicare, the AARP said: If we're talking about Medicare cuts alone as a way of financing health reform, we would fight that with all our strength--we've gone as far as we can go down that road. The AARP, on $6.4 billion Medicare cuts in 2005, said: ``Strongly Opposes.'' They said the: . . . conference agreement . . . undermines the critical protections built into both the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Instead of . . . shared sacrifice to achieve budgetary savings. . . . Every time there has ever been a savings in Medicare or Social Security in any way, shape, or form, the AARP has come out against it, except now when there is the most massive cut in Medicare in history and a transfer of those funds to a vast new $2.5 trillion entitlement program. It was described as $2.5 trillion just yesterday by the chairman of the Finance Committee. I say shame on the AARP. I say to my friends, especially those who are under the Medicare Advantage Program, the 330,000 in my State, for whom, admittedly, they are going to cut their Medicare Advantage benefits, take your AARP card, cut it in half, and send it back. They have betrayed you.

Mr. McCAIN. Absolutely.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I mentioned the AARP and their opposition to this amendment. There is an organization called 60 Plus that has millions of supporters and members. They also feel very different from the AARP. Their message is: Soon you [the Senate] will vote on the McCain motion to commit with instructions. The motion would commit it to the Senate Committee on Finance-- Et cetera. I and the 5.5 million supporters of 60 Plus urge you to support this motion. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is nothing of the sort. It would cut Medicare by $500 billion. These cuts would harm seniors who have paid into the program and expect it to be there to help them with their health care needs. At 60 Plus, we pride ourselves on advocating for the best interests of seniors. That is a ``yes'' vote on this motion. Let's pay attention to 60 Plus.

Mr. McCAIN. I don't believe so.

Mr. McCAIN. Most people believe this would be a windfall of tens of millions of dollars for AARP if the legislation is passed as presently crafted.

Mr. McCAIN. Our figures are that 330,000 people in my State of Arizona are on Medicare Advantage. I noticed yesterday, when the distinguished chairman of the Finance Committee and the Senator from Connecticut were talking, they were disparaging the entire program, saying how it wasn't any good, talking about the cost overruns and saying it was a bad program. They have opposed it from the start. So the message to the 330,000 Americans in Arizona who are on Medicare Advantage is that they are out to get you.

Mr. McCAIN. I will respond again. There are cost problems with Medicare Advantage, but those cost problems can be fixed. Those cost problems can be brought under control. But the fact is, to do away with a program that allows them a choice in how they receive their care is, of course, again, an effort to have the government make the decisions for people, which flies in the face of everything we stand for and believe in.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I yield 2 minutes to the Senator from Iowa.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, this motion sends the legislation back to the Finance Committee for a short period of time with instructions to report back with cost offsets other than Medicare cuts. The motion says we should retain the provisions in the legislation addressing fraud and abuse and retain those savings to strengthen the Medicare trust fund. Instead of cutting over $450 billion from Medicare providers and beneficiaries, the committee should do what it should have done in the first place--protect seniors' benefits and access to providers. It is much needed. Mr. President, I say to my friends, let's save seniors who have paid into the Medicare Program their whole lives from these damaging cuts. I hope my colleagues will vote in favor of this motion. Let's use Medicare savings to save Medicare, not to fund a whole new $2.5 trillion entitlement program. I urge a vote in favor of the motion. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, have the yeas and nays been ordered?

Mr. McCAIN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. McCAIN. Please go ahead.

Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, this motion proposes to send the legislation back to the Finance Committee to remove the nearly $\1/2\ trillion in cuts that will severely impact all seniors who are eligible for Medicare. As the Senator from Montana mentioned, the system is going to go broke in 7 years. So what does this legislation contemplate? That we take $\1/2\ trillion out of their savings and use it to fund a $2.5 trillion new entitlement program. What does that do for the Medicare trust fund? Nothing. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this motion and send it back to the Finance Committee. Do the right thing for the seniors of this country.