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Floor Speech

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Mr. HAWLEY. Madam President, I rise to make a very simple point, which is that Medicare is too important to be held hostage to political games, and that is what is going on here now. We need to have a clean bill to fully fund and protect Medicare for the millions of Americans who rely on it, including over 1 million just in the State of Missouri.

And that is why I am supporting Senator Kennedy's bill to fully protect and secure Medicare, and I will support every amendment and bill and clean amendment and bill to fully protect and secure Medicare, including, I think, Senator Graham's that he's going to be offering shortly, which I am also privileged to cosponsor.

And I would just say this: I call on the Members of both parties-- both parties--to stop using Medicare as a pawn in a political game. Let's fund Medicare. Let's do it on its own. Let's not hold it hostage to other agendas. Let's not hold it hostage to other programs. Let's not hold it hostage to others' individual ambitions, whatever they may be.

But let's take the opportunity now with this bill to fully protect Medicare for our seniors all across this country. That should be something that we can all get behind, and for those reasons I am proud to support Senator Kennedy's legislation.

And now I yield to Senator Hoeven.

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