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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky today for being selected to participate in separate advanced manufacturing partnerships through the Department of Defense – UofL through the University of Illinois Labs and UK through an institute in Michigan.

“I applaud the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky for their strong applications and continued commitment to supporting domestic manufacturing and research jobs in Kentucky,” Senator McConnell said. “I was happy to assist President Ramsey and President Capilouto on their efforts because these partnerships have the potential to create domestic jobs, grow the economy, and increase the competitiveness of American companies.”

“We appreciate Senator McConnell’s continued support of the research initiatives at the University of Louisville, and for our DMDI application in particular, which will help create research jobs in the area,” said UofL President James Ramsey.

“The University of Kentucky is excited to be engaged in the Navy consortium grant, that will support research and jobs important to Kentucky’s economy,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “We are deeply grateful to Senator Mitch McConnell for his support of UK’s application and for his continued steadfast support of our mission of service to the Commonwealth.”

Last year, Senator McConnell contacted the U.S. Army on behalf of the UofL to express his support for its application. In a November, 2013, letter to the U.S. Army, Senator McConnell wrote, that “UofL and its partners would use this competitive funding… to hire additional research personnel to research digital techniques that may better integrate the domestic manufacturing process.”

Senator McConnell also contacted the U.S. Navy on behalf of UK’s application. In a November, 2013, letter, Senator McConnell wrote that the university would be able “to purchase necessary equipment and hire additional research personnel to spur metal manufacturing innovation.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding another round of cuts by the Obama Administration to a Medicare program used by millions of seniors:

“Late last week, the Obama Administration proposed yet another round of drastic cuts to a popular Medicare program used by millions of American seniors.

“Not surprisingly, they did it quietly, in the hopes that these latest cuts to Medicare Advantage would somehow get lost in what folks around here like to call the ‘Friday news dump.’

“But the American people aren’t easily fooled.

“The Far-Left has always hated Medicare Advantage. It’s a program that offends them ideologically, because it offers more market-based choices to seniors than traditional Medicare.

“But the Left’s prodding is not the only reason the Obama Administration has already cut this successful program so deeply – and why it now plans to cut it even deeper.

“The hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of cuts that Washington Democrats want to impose on Medicare Advantage – cuts that will cause millions of seniors to lose access to doctors and face higher premiums – are basically all to fund Obamacare.

“Some folks might describe this as ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul.’

“But I’ve got a better analogy: it’s like ripping parts off a Cadillac to patch up a Pinto.

“America’s seniors understand this.

“Our constituents like the choices Medicare Advantage offers. And they don’t like Obamacare.

“And that’s why seniors from all across Kentucky have written to protest this misguided policy.

“Jack and Alda Rice from Fairdale wrote that Medicare Advantage has been there for them when they needed it, and that it’s ‘tough for seniors to have to find new doctors, especially for those who live in rural areas. It means travelling greater distances and spending more on gas.’

“’It is a sad thing,’ they wrote, ‘when good doctors leave a plan because of funding cuts.’

“Ronald and Linda Baynum from Edgewood wrote that they ‘[found] it appalling’ that money that was put away for senior citizens is now being used for things like Obamacare. ‘It seems like most politicians are only working for themselves instead of the people,’ they wrote.

“They have every right to be frustrated.

“I mean, why on Earth would we want to ruin one program that’s helping people in order to fund another that’s causing them so much pain?

“The question answers itself.

“And that’s why I, along with Senators Cornyn, Thune, Barrasso, Moran, and Blunt sent a letter to the Administration today – to express our deep concerns with these proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage and other proposals that would increase premiums, reduce choices, and cause America’s seniors to lose access to the health plans they were promised they could keep. Our letter asks the Administration to act within the bounds of the law to limit the negative impact these misguided policies would have on seniors.

“Now, it’s notable that even some of our friends on the other side of the aisle seem to understand the pain that all this is causing.

“That’s why 19 Senate Democrats recently signed a bipartisan letter with 21 Republicans that called on the Administration to mitigate the impact of these cuts to Medicare Advantage.

“We appreciate Democrat support on any issue. It’s good when they acknowledge the senselessness of cutting one successful program to fund a failed one – of cuts that will make it even harder for America’s seniors to keep the benefits, plans, and doctors of their choice. But frankly, it’s hard to believe they’re really being serious on this one.

“That’s because nearly every one of these Senators voted for Obamacare – the very law that imposed the same cuts they’re now railing against, and nearly every single one of them voted later to keep these cuts in place. Senator Hatch proposed an amendment that would have reversed Obamacare’s cuts to Medicare Advantage. And it only failed because nearly every Democrat senator voted against it.

“So Washington Democrats had their chance for a mulligan. And they took a pass. They can’t have it both ways.

“And signing onto some letter won’t absolve them of responsibility now. It won’t erase the fact that even when given a second chance to help America’s seniors, many voted a second time to take a whack at Medicare.

“And let’s not forget: these folks and their allies are basically the same ones who promised up and down that Americans could keep the health care plans they had and liked under Obamacare – a promise that was voted the ‘Lie of the Year’ in 2013.

“So Americans aren’t about to be taken in on the latest Obamacare spin.

“Let’s be honest: the only realistic solution is to undo the damage altogether by starting over with real reform.

“That means replacing Obamacare and its more than $700 billion in Medicare cuts – cuts imposed solely to fund Obamacare – with bipartisan reforms that can actually help struggling middle-class Americans.

“I urge Democrats to follow the lead of the prominent Senate Democrat who said just the other day that he would ‘vote tomorrow’ to repeal Obamacare.

“If he’s serious about what he said, that means he’s finally listening to the American people instead of the party bosses in Washington. If more of his colleagues on the other side of the aisle would only do the same, we could finally move forward with real patient-centered health reform.

“We could finally do away with the practice of raiding Medicare to fund Obamacare. We could finally be done with the hurt this law is imposing on men and women across our country: college graduates, Moms, Dads, small businesswomen, constituents who struggle every day just to get by, and millions of seniors.

“Republicans are on their side.

“We agree with them that Obamacare is a law that just doesn’t work. And we agree with them that now is not the time to impose higher costs and reduced choices for senior citizens, as the partisan Obamacare law proposes.

“I know the authors of this law may have had good intentions. But now is the time for them to admit past mistakes – and to work with Republicans in a bipartisan fashion to remedy those errors before even more people get hurt by Obamacare.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Senate’s Republican leadership today expressed deep concern with a series of Obama administration actions on Medicare Advantage and the Medicare prescription drug benefit – actions that will increase premiums, reduce choices and cause America’s seniors to lose access to the health plans they were promised they could keep.

In a letter, the lawmakers urged Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to suspend the administration’s “misguided policies” aimed at weakening the Medicare Advantage and prescription drug programs. The letter was signed by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn (TX), Republican Conference Chairman John Thune (SD), Republican Policy Committee Chairman John Barrasso (WY), National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Jerry Moran (KS) and Conference Vice Chair Roy Blunt (MO).

“Unlike Obamacare, the Medicare prescription drug benefit is wildly popular and it has cost less than initial predictions,” the senators wrote. “At a time when HHS is struggling on basic implementation tasks on many fronts, we cannot understand the logic behind the department’s interest in further undermining one of the few success stories under its purview.”

The senators said they are “deeply troubled” by HHS’s recent 700-page proposal to fundamentally undermine the core principles – private competition and consumer choice - that have made the Medicare prescription drug program a success. “We are particularly concerned about proposals to reduce the number of plans available to seniors, in direct contravention of the President’s promise to the American people,” according to the letter.

Late last week, the Obama administration announced additional cuts to Medicare Advantage, a private insurance alternative highly popular with seniors. In a recent bipartisan letter to the administration, even prominent Democrat senators who twice voted to sustain Medicare Advantage cuts under the failed Obamacare law, called the program a “great success” and urged against more cuts.

Citing independent actuaries at the Oliver Wyman global management consulting firm, the senators said that the cumulative impact of the Medicare Advantage changes will increase costs or cut benefits for seniors dramatically.

“This is a significant blow to seniors, many of whom are on a fixed income,” the lawmakers wrote. “To mitigate this financial impact, plans may be forced to reduce benefits or worse still, withdraw from certain communities -- causing seniors to lose the health plans they were told, by your administration, they could keep.”

Read the letter here.

Recent Press Releases

Senator McConnell Praises UofL and UK for DOD Manufacturing Partnerships

McConnell contacted Department of Defense on behalf of UofL and UK in support of their efforts

February 25, 2014

Obama Administration Raids Medicare Advantage to Help Pay for Deeply Unpopular Obamacare

‘The hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of cuts that Washington Democrats want to impose on Medicare Advantage – cuts that will cause millions of seniors to lose access to doctors and face higher premiums – are basically all to fund Obamacare.’

February 25, 2014

Obama Administration Changes to Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug Program Harmful to America’s Seniors

‘Now is no time to impose higher costs or reduce options for America’s seniors. We respectfully urge you to suspend these misguided policies,’ according to a letter from the Senate Republican Leadership to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

February 25, 2014