AREA NEWSThe Examiner

Congresswoman Lowey Slams GOP Budget Proposal

We are part of The Trust Project
Congresswoman Nita Lowey

Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey, responding to the budget plan unveiled by House Republicans, labeled the 2012 proposal “extreme and radical.”

“It would privatize Medicare, turning a program that has served senior citizens well since 1965 into a voucher system that would only save costs by offering inferior coverage,” Lowey stated in prepared remarks. “It would convert Medicaid into a block grant program that shifts costs to states and beneficiaries, jeopardizing care not just for the poor, but for senior citizens and persons with disabilities who account for [two thirds] of Medicaid spending.”

Lowey also said the policies proposed in the budget only save money “by offering lower standards of care for fewer individuals.”

“The consequences of these policies are severe for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and the poor,” the congresswoman concluded. “For millions of Americans, this vision of government will prove a path to hardship – not prosperity.”

We'd love for you to support our work by joining as a free, partial access subscriber, or by registering as a full access member. Members get full access to all of our content, and receive a variety of bonus perks like free show tickets. Learn more here.