Webster Slams Procedural Hijinks in Medicare Bill

Washington, DC – Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, released the following statement slamming the Democrats’ use of procedural hijinks in the House Amendment to S. 610.

“I’m appalled that Democrats in Congress are holding seniors and their healthcare providers hostage as leverage to raise the nation’s debt limit and borrow more money for their spending spree. The House finally took up legislation that ensures Medicare benefits are not reduced in 2022. But, in further proof of how broken Washington is, Democrats added two other issues that have nothing to do with Medicare or our seniors!

“Included in this bill is language that suspends the requirement for Democrats to identify funding to actually pay for their partisan spending bills. Further, the bill creates an unrelated, unprecedented procedural process to waive the Senate filibuster to increase the debt ceiling. I cannot vote for this because it suspends fiscal responsibility and allows the debt limit to be raised without any details or spending reform. The reckless spending of this Congress and Administration are driving up inflation – making everything in our lives more costly.  The only reason these unrelated measures are combined is because they do not have the votes to borrow and spend more money without holding Medicare hostage as leverage.

“I am committed to protecting the Medicare benefits that seniors in my district have earned and have introduced H.R. 6144 with my colleagues to do so. I have argued to my Republican and Democrat colleagues that the process for producing policy in Congress is deeply flawed and it has gotten exponentially worse in recent years. As a result, Congress is not passing good public policy.  I am frustrated and I’m sure the American people are too. I will continue to advocate for a Member-driven process that tackles key issues early; allows real, thoughtful debate on each other’s policy ideas; ends the practice of waiting until the end of the year to tackle big issues; and stops combining several major policies into one bill.”

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