Schumer: ‘Republicans Are Plotting a War on Seniors Next Year’

Tuesday at the Senate Democratic Legislative Agenda press conference, incoming Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said because of President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement nominating Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services, “It’s clear that Washington Republicans are plotting a war on seniors next year.”

Schumer said, “I was just so disappointed to see the president-elect nominate Congressman Price to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services this morning. When it comes to issues like Medicare, The Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood, Congressman Price and the average American couldn’t be further apart. Between this nomination of avowed Medicare opponent and Republican here in Washington threatening to privatize Medicare, it’s clear that Washington Republicans are plotting a war on seniors next year. Every senior, every American should hear this loudly and clearly. Democrats will not let them win that fight.”

“After the 2004 elections, Republicans tried to take the rug out from under seniors to privatize Social Security,” he continued. “And now after the 2016 elections it seems they are intent on trying the same trick on Medicare. Just as their efforts failed then, they will fail now. We say to our Republicans who want to privatize Medicare—go try it. Make our day. Democrats from blue states, purple states and red states are going to link arm in arm to protect Medicare for our seniors and ensure Republicans don’t succeed in putting our seniors’ health care at risk. As we have said many times, there will be issues where we can work with the president-elect and his party, but privatizing Medicare is not, certainly not, one of those issues. We’re going to fight tooth and nail any attempt to privatize, voucherize or any other ize you can think of, when it comes to Medicare. To Republicans considering going down this path, my advice is simple, turn back.”

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