Defazio: East Coast Senators Undermined Medicare Deal

Rep. Peter Defazio (D-Oregon) said Friday that while he is being told that Senate budget staffers were concerned that the Medicare disparity fix would run afoul of parliamentary reconciliation rules, it's actually much simpler than that.

"What I hear is really going on is a couple of East Coast senators don't like it," said Defazio, declining to name names. The issue involves rural states that receive much less in the way of Medicare reimbursement, leading doctors in those areas to be reluctant to accept Medicare patients.

Defazio also reached out to HuffPost to take issue with an earlier post saying that he often makes loud noises before major votes and wasn't a definite no on health care reform legislation. What we should have said is that Defazio, who has been described as the "squeakiest liberal wheel in the House," often makes such noises -- but often follows through.

"Are you referring to the stimulus bill, which I voted against? Or the cap and trade bill, which I voted against?" Defazio argued.

"I don't remember a time when I've been saying 'Gee, this is really bad and I really have to see these changes,' and the changes don't get made, and I vote for the bill anyway."

Defazio said he's committed to his threat to oppose the bill. "I have raised a concern here that must be addressed in a way that is not just an empty promise. And in the past when I asked for two changes that I didn't think were too much to ask for in the cap and trade [bill], when they were desperate for votes -- take out the speculators and don't take away EPA authority -- and they said no and I voted no."

The same was true with the stimulus, he said. "On the stimulus, I said, 'Look, if you put in these tax cuts and cut my transportation, I'm voting no.' They did and I did. I don't often say I'm going to vote no and raise serious concerns and then change my mind. But there are many members like that. I'm not like that."

Comments

[cnergishaiti]

06:42 PM on 03/21/2010

Senator please lets make history for the American people now,its time to move on

[bigguyjohn70]

05:15 PM on 03/21/2010

east coast senators doing all they can to backburn healthcare. americans need healthcare though but not as badly as the rest of the world...

Dont believe me? If you can watch 6 minutes of this film WITHOUT crying i will PERSONALLY send you 25.00 with paypal. SERIOUSLY. Try it.

http://wnotpt.weebly.com

[Suntio]

12:52 AM on 03/22/2010

Stop it with the spam already.

[rottnkid]

04:26 PM on 03/21/2010

What a day

[Buckywunder]

05:52 PM on 03/20/2010

Well, Defazio mentioned their names on Progressive Talk Radio this past week.

He said they were John Kerry and Chuck Schumer. I don't know how in the world they can justify keeping Medicare rates skewered so that their states benefit more than others. It's not fair and they should know it.

[MakeAWish]

05:08 PM on 03/20/2010

You guys are such a hoot! The Democratic party as it stands, is just a stone's throw away from being a Republican party.

[A Smith]

04:24 PM on 03/20/2010

I'm disappointed that US Rep. Democratic Peter Defazio is voting No against lowering the budget, No against adding adequate Health Care to Millions of American Familys and No to the needs in his own State. Yes, I went to school with you Peter, and I'm disappointed that you somehow felt nothing but a perfect bill would earn your vote of Yes. Oregonians do not tell those without 'you are on your own', 'tuff luck', 'die under the bridge because we certainly cannot afford to help you'! I'm ashamed at your callous insensitivity to what Oregonian's truely value Peter. Perhaps it is time for you to leave the public service sector and learn more about the lives of everyday Oregonians. The current Health Care System is not working Peter and the reason Oregonians placed you into office was to make our State and Nation better.

[RevJimIII]

04:40 PM on 03/20/2010

Did you not notice he flipped again to a yes vote? (for the moment)

[MakeAWish]

03:51 PM on 03/20/2010

The Democratic party throws the "real" Democrats to the curb.

[humanbeing-rick]

12:44 PM on 03/20/2010

It is a shame that Peter Defazio is too prideful to support his own party on such a momentous occasion as our first health care reform bill. The Medicare disparisty fix is something to work on, and dont give up on it either, but dont fail the entire bill over this comparatively small issue. We need to make progress!

[RevJimIII]

04:05 PM on 03/20/2010

This isn't about 'party'. Each Rep is supposed to represent the people of his district, NOT party line politics.

[Kache]

05:21 PM on 03/20/2010

Peter Defazio is representing the doctors in his district - nothing more. He doesn't think they are getting paid enough. He thinks it's just terrible that so many doctors in his district are refusing to treat patients on Medicare and wants to bribe them with more money.

[naschkatze]

08:07 PM on 03/20/2010

Thank you.

[Jim-Mim]

11:35 AM on 03/20/2010

Good for you Peter. While I never voted for you (I'd never vote for any Liberal) I appreciate any good actions, and this is one. There are 3 reason I'm a conservative.
1. No Federal agency or department operates efficiently, has ever operated efficiently, or by its makeup can ever operate efficiently.
2. Federal agencies or departments are forever.
3. All federal agencies and departments grow annually.
With these truths why do liberals continually ask the federal government do more and more? I can't seem to get an answer from any of them. WHY?

[semoto]

12:22 PM on 03/20/2010

Considering that Wall Street bankers (private enterprise) recently almost collapsed the world economy, your three reasons for being a conservative ring a little hollow.

But let's consider just one private industry -- the health care industry -- in replying, since you say you can't get an answer.

1. First, the private health care industry doesn't operate efficiently (for all), has never operated efficiently (for all) and because of the way it's organized (for profit which is gained by denying people care) can never operate efficiently for all. So your first point applies to private industry just as much as government.

2. Second, organizations in our culture that make their profit from the suffering of others (the current health care system, the military-industrial complex,drug cartels, etc.) "are forever." There's too much profit for them to cease to exist. So your second point applies to private industry too.

3. If possible, all for-profit organizations grow annually, too. So your third point applies to private industry as well as government, too. (And actually some government organizations DO get smaller. Remember welfare reform? And many laws have sunset provisions. And governments cut budgets all the time, especially in economic downturns.)

So by your own reasoning, you should be just as against private enterprise as government if your stated reasons are to make sense.

So when you can get some better logic together, then we'll talk about why SOME people turn to government when private enterprise fails them.

[semoto]

12:32 PM on 03/20/2010

By the way, you are way over the top in suggesting that turning to government is something done only by liberals.

If it was true that only liberals turn to government for aid and support, there would be no feeding at the public trough in so-called red states, right?

The truth is, red states, across the board, receive more money from the federal government per capita than blue states do.

Red states, then are highly subsidized by blue states. And it seems to me that they have no problem taking that federal money while, like you, railing against federal involvement.

[brt929]

05:10 PM on 03/20/2010

Hear, hear! That is never mentioned enough.

Allow me to become your first fan.

[dws55]

10:33 AM on 03/20/2010

Is there any truth to the rumor that two of the 51 senators that Senator Reid lined up to support reconciliation have now decided to oppose the House bill?

[naschkatze]

12:01 PM on 03/20/2010

51? That would be nice though.

[brt929]

05:23 PM on 03/20/2010

Do you realize that statement makes no sense whatsoever?

The House is voting to accept the Senate bill, not vice-versa.

[medic628]

10:17 AM on 03/20/2010

GREED!!

[Cookie100]

10:15 AM on 03/20/2010

DeFazio needs to run for senator here against Ron Wyden. We have Jeff Merkley, a true progressive, we need DeFazio, he's fantastic, bit refuses to run. He'd win.

[maudefrickert]

11:14 AM on 03/20/2010

Great idea! My one regret about life here in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon is that it's not in Peter DeFazio's district, thus rendering me ineligible to vote for him. That problem would be resolved were he to unseat Wyden in the Senate (with the added benefit of not having to deal with Wyden's hostile Portland office staff anymore).

As for Jeff Merkley: Best return on my vote investment EVER!

[Cookie100]

11:32 AM on 03/20/2010

fanned Maude

[naschkatze]

12:04 PM on 03/20/2010

Agree on Merkley, but I don't think there's a prayer of chance that the Democrats will primary Wyden. I wish, though.

[A Smith]

04:30 PM on 03/20/2010

US Rep. Peter DeFazio is getting old and his NO vote is a signal that it is time for him to return to the private sector and once again learn what the people in the State of Oregon cherish and hold as core values which his NO vote on America's Health Care plan indicates he is entirely missing. Senator Wyden would hand Defazio his hat, but hopefully a younger Democratic congressional challenger can hand Peter DeFazio his hat on the way out the door.

[Darwinia Amazonia]

10:09 AM on 03/20/2010

REID ON POLITICAL DEATH ROW
Reid is scheduled to be hung in Nevada, by the Tea Party patriots, over the "the next few months", for his leading role in the un-constitutional National Health Care Insurance Legislation Swindle, which imposes ruinous taxes on the next generation, and funds the murder of Christian children by the Abortion Industry.

[gschear]

10:20 AM on 03/20/2010

Turn off Glen Beck, back away from the chock board and drop the chock.

[banja]

09:46 AM on 03/20/2010

The drama queen speaks, he is proud to have voted against the stimulus and cap & trade, wow, what an arrogant waste of space.

[A Smith]

04:35 PM on 03/20/2010

I agree, Oregon is one of the hardest hit with mass unemployment which would have been better helped if US Rep. Peter DeFazio had helped out with the stimulus legislation. And Oregonians rank and file support Big Oil Cap and Trade for a cleaner enviroment, less dependance on foreign oil, more regulations on Big Oil's toxic wastes and stricter laws on Big Oil's dumping into the world's oceans hazardious petro-chemical wastes. DeFazio's vote of NO on Cap and Trade flys in the faces of the vast majority of Oregon voters. Time for US Rep. Peter DeFazio to be replaced by a Democratic US Congressman that will support Oregonian's core values and needs.

[Countess]

08:25 AM on 03/20/2010

Defazio is a rare democrat with a conscience and a spine. Goood for him!