GOP Votes Down Dem Effort to Ensure Seniors Know What Is Happening to Their Medicare & Social Security

Medicare and Social Security are bedrock promises we have made to our seniors but Republicans appear to be determined to end the Medicare guarantee for seniors and increase their health care costs. Last year, House Republicans voted to end the Medicare guarantee, threetimes [Vote 277, Vote 382, Vote 606]--House Democrats said no. But it looks like Republicans are ready to try again: Chairman Ryan (and even Speaker Boehner) reiterated their support for the Republican budget plan that ends the Medicare guarantee:

ABC News – GOP Budget Guru Stands His Ground on Controversial Medicare Reform

ThinkProgress – Boehner Promises To Revisit Medicare Privatization In This Year's Budget

Seniors, and all Americans, deserve to know what is happening to Medicare and Social Security. To that end, House Democrats offered a very simple motion to recommit this afternoon to require that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) prepare reports on the impact of significant legislation on Medicare benefits and the Medicare and Social Security trust funds:

MOTION TO RECOMMIT H.R. 3582 WITH AN INSTRUCTION OFFERED BY MR. BOSWELL

Mr. Boswell moves to recommit the bill H.R.3582 to the Committee on the Budget with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment:

After section 407(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as added by section 2, insert the following new subsection (c) (and redesignate succeeding subsections accordingly):

1 ‘‘(c) IMPACTS ON MEDICARE BENEFITS, BENEFICIARIES, THE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE TRUST FUNDS.—The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall prepare for each major bill or resolution reported by any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate (except the Committee on Appropriations of each House), as a supplement to estimates prepared under section 402, an impact analysis of the budgetary effects of such bill or resolution on Medicare benefits, beneficiaries, the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds for the ten fiscal year period beginning with the first fiscal year for which an estimate was prepared under section 402 and each of the next three ten fiscal-year periods. The Director shall submit to such committee the impact analysis, together with the basis for the analysis. As a supplement to estimates prepared under section 402, all such information so submitted shall be included in the report accompanying such bill or resolution.''.

237 House Republicans voted against this simple motion, and against Americans knowing how legislation would impact their retirement security. All House Democrats voted in favor.