FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Wednesday, July 10, 2008
Contact: Brian Cook (202) 225-3202

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement on the veto-proof passage of H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, on the floor of the Senate, 69-30:

“Today, with a veto-proof majority, the Senate joined with the overwhelmingly bipartisan majority of the House to pass legislation that averts a 10 percent pay cut for physicians, makes modest beneficiary improvements to Medicare, and is financed by reining in the Medicare Advantage program. H.R. 6331 is the minimum that we should do to protect and maintain Medicare. America’s senior citizens and doctors helped reluctant Republican Senators understand that as well.

“Senator Kennedy managed to make it back from treatment for cancer, but Senator McCain couldn’t be bothered. Senator McCain, who wants to be our next President, has skipped this vote three times now. Clearly, he’d rather hide than face up to the insurance industry. You can do that when you’re in the U.S. Senate, maybe voters should leave him there.”