Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued the following statement regarding a procedural vote today that will allow the debt ceiling increase to be attached to otherwise non-controversial Medicare extenders.
“I have fought to protect Medicare provider reimbursement and led prior rounds of Medicare extenders in a bipartisan manner. These are important programs that I’ve helped improve over the last two decades, including twice as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve supported bipartisan relief to health care providers including $178 billion in direct relief, a moratorium on Medicare cuts on three separate occasions, financial boost to Medicare providers facing reimbursement changes, and regulatory relief. I support the health care-specific provisions reflected in the Medicare extenders package, which the Senate will soon take up, that would prevent cuts and changes to Medicare providers. In fact, I supported an amendment that would have provided for a clean Medicare extender package. I will continue to fight to expand access to care, lower prescription drug costs and protect vulnerable health care providers, especially in rural Iowa.
“The last minute attachment of a debt ceiling increase exemplifies the reckless, irresponsible approach to governing of this Democratic Majority. I can’t support such a move on procedural grounds. If the majority wants spend trillions of dollars without Republican input, then they ought to raise the debt ceiling without Republican help.”
