The U.S. Senate voted 51-49 on Thursday to pass a budget that requires cuts of $473 billion from Medicare and about $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. The measure is estimated to add $1.5 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.
The Senate also adopted a last minute amendment eliminating the need for a conference committee. That will speed up the timeline so that Congress can move on to “tax reform.”
“This is a cruel budget that blatantly disrespects older Americans,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “It drastically cuts Medicare and Medicaid to give billionaires and profitable corporations money they don’t need.”
Several notable amendments were offered by Democrats and Independent Bernie Sanders (VT). Senators Sanders, Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Bob Casey (PA) offered an amendment to prevent the $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, paid for by reducing the Republican tax breaks for the wealthy. The amendment failed 47-51.
Senators Bill Nelson (FL) Stabenow and Sanders offered an amendment to provide additional resources to restore the $473 billion in cuts to Medicare, paid for by reducing the Republican tax breaks for the wealthy. It failed 47-51.
In addition, Sanders and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) offered a third amendment to ensure that there are not tax cuts for the top 1% of Americans. It failed 46-52.
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