Forty-Six Years Ago Today

As Congress continues to work towards an agreement that will keep the United States from defaulting on its loans, I wanted to reiterate to you my commitment to protecting Medicare and Medicaid, on this, the 46th anniversary of the law's signing.

Forty-six years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the legislation that created two of our country's most important programs. For the last forty-six years, Democrats have defended Medicare, and I am continuing that fight harder than ever now.

Over the past several months, since the Republican budget proposal was released up until this very minute of the debt ceiling debate, many of you have reached out to me to share your thoughts. You have asked that I stand strong against proposals that would harm these programs, and you have shared your own personal stories with me. Today, I want to share some of those stories with you.

Congresswoman Matsui speaks at a press conference highlighting the 46th anniversary of the signing of Medicare, and reiterates her opposition to cuts to the program.

Take Mona for example. Mona started working at fourteen, and has paid into Medicare for as long as she can remember. Today, Medicare is making the difference in her life and in her ability to make ends meet.

Then there's Paul. Paul is concerned about his parents, both of whom are Medicare enrollees. If their benefits were cut, he said that he simply does not know how they would be able to cover their medical costs.

And David, a disabled veteran and recent retiree, is scheduled to start receiving Medicare benefits next month. In his own words, the Majorityand#39;s proposal is meant to "divide and conquer" - and I could not agree more.

But I want you to know, as we move forward on reaching a deal to avoid default, I will continue fighting for Medicare - for Mona, for Paul and his parents, for David - and for you, your children, and grandchildren.