(Washington, D.C.) – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) yesterday sent the following letter to the entire Senate urging a “yea” vote on Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) motion to commit H.R. 3590 to the Senate Committee on Finance with instructions to remove the drastic cuts made to Medicare.  The letter reads:

“On behalf of the more than one million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), I urge you to support this motion.

“H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, would slash Medicare by $500 billion.  Depriving seniors of their much-needed benefits is not a responsible way to achieve healthcare reform.

“As it currently stands, the legislation calls for significant reductions including $120 billion to the highly successful Medicare Advantage program; $150 billion to providers, including hospitals, hospice programs, and nursing homes; and $23 billion in unspecified decreases to be determined by an ‘Independent Medicare Advisory Board.’”

“While CCAGW has been a long-time critic of improper payments and Medicare waste and fraud, the $500 billion in cuts in H.R. 3590 would not solve these inherent problems or help make Medicare solvent.  The major reductions proposed to Medicare merely help lawmakers offset the costs of a massive new entitlement program to the detriment of the nation’s senior citizens.

“I urge you to support Senator McCain’s motion to commit.  All votes on this motion and other amendments pertaining to Medicare cuts will be among those considered in CCAGW’s 2009 Congressional Ratings.”

CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.