WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement opposing legislation from House Democrats to drastically slash Medicare benefits for seniors, increase taxes on working families, and expand government-run health care:

Republicans support renewing SCHIP to provide health care to children in low-income families, but we oppose the Democrats’ poorly-crafted, partisan proposal that works against the interests of seniors, working families, and taxpayers. This bill cuts some $193 billion in Medicare benefits for American seniors. In my congressional district alone, 14,267 seniors currently benefit from Medicare Advantage and 73 percent of them will lose their benefits if the Medicare cuts in the House bill become law. Moreover, this bill raises taxes on low-income families, opens the door to using taxpayer funds to benefit illegal immigrants, and imposes government-dictated Hillary-care when we should be focusing on free market solutions that provide every American with access to better health care.

When Republicans established SCHIP to help low-income children 10 years ago, we worked together in a bipartisan fashion with our Democratic colleagues. Our ranking Republicans Mr. Barton and Mr. McCrery made great efforts to work with their majority counterparts in hopes of forging a bipartisan consensus this year. Unfortunately the majoritys bill needlessly asks millions of American seniors to sacrifice their health care security in favor of expanding government-subsidized health care.

NOTE: Boehner sent a letter to the AARP today calling on the organization to withdraw its support for the Democrats’ SCHIP measure. The White House today chided Democrats for choosing partisanship rather than the bipartisan tradition which marked the initial enactment of SCHIP and said President Bush is prepared to veto the measure.

Boehner represents Ohios 8^th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami and Preble counties, most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of Montgomery County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.

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Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement opposing legislation from House Democrats to drastically slash Medicare benefits for seniors, increase taxes on working families, and expand government-run health care:

Boehner represents Ohios 8th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami and Preble counties, most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of Montgomery County.  He was first elected to Congress in 1990.