Jun 06, 2012
Congressman Bilbray Chooses Millionaires Over Medicare
Congressman Brian Bilbray (CA-52) is in trouble. In yesterday’s primary, he got only 41 percent of the vote and Democratic candidates received 5,200 more votes than Bilbray did. Why? Congressman Bilbray is out of the step with the district, his voting record that puts millionaires and corporations that ship jobs overseas before seniors’ Medicare and the middle class. Congressman Bilbray has voted twice in favor of the controversial House Republican budget that would slash Medicare for seniors and raise their health care costs, while giving tax breaks to millionaires, Big Oil, and corporations that ship jobs overseas.
“In Washington, Congressman Brian Bilbray has built a record of choosing millionaires over the Medicare guarantee that California seniors spent a lifetime earning,” said Jennifer Crider of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The misplaced priorities of Congressman Bilbray and House Republicans would raise seniors’ health care costs to protect millionaires, Big Oil, and companies that ship American jobs overseas.”
AARP has warned that the House Republicans’ “proposal is likely to simply increase costs for beneficiaries while removing Medicare’s promise of secure health coverage,” while the Tax Policy Center showed that people making over $1 million per year would get an average tax cut of $394,000.
Background
2011: Congressman Bilbray Voted to End Medicare, Give Tax Breaks to Millionaires, Protect Tax Breaks for Big Oil. On April 15, 2011, Congressman Bilbray voted for a budget which “would essentially end Medicare.” If enacted, this budget would begin affecting millions of seniors almost immediately by increasing the costs on prescription drugs and long-term care. For future beneficiaries, the Congressional Budget Office estimates it will increase health care costs by an extra $6,359 by 2022. The Republican plan would also lower the top tax rate to 25% and will provide people with incomes over $1 million an average tax cut of $125,000 per year. The plan would secure no deficit-reduction contribution at all from closing special interest tax breaks, such as breaks for big oil companies. [H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11; National Journal, 6/2/11; CBO, 4/5/11; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/20/11]
2012: Congressman Bilbray Voted to Slash Medicare, Give Tax Breaks for Millionaires, Encourage Companies to Ship Jobs Overseas. On March 29, 2012, Congressman Bilbray supported a budget that would end Medicare’s guaranteed benefit, protects $40 billion in tax breaks for big oil, provides people earning more than $1 million a year with an average tax cut of $394,000, and provides incentives for corporations to shift profits and jobs overseas. [H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12; New York Times Editorial, 3/20/12; Center for American Progress, 3/20/12; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/12/12; Tax Policy Center, Table T12-0078 and T10-0132; Citizens for Tax Justice, 3/22/12]
- AARP: Ryan’s Plan Would Increase Health Care Costs for Older Americans. AARP CEO Addison Barry Rand wrote to Members of Congress on House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget resolution. In the letter, Rand wrote: “this proposal simply shifts these high and growing costs onto Medicare beneficiaries, and it then shifts even higher costs of increased uninsured care onto everyone else. […] By creating a ‘premium support’ system for future Medicare beneficiaries, the proposal is likely to simply increase costs for beneficiaries while removing Medicare’s promise of secure health coverage -- a guarantee that future seniors have contributed to through a lifetime of hard work.” [AARP Letter, 3/21/12]
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