Cicilline Shows Congress Picture of Middletown Resident: Says She's Example of Seniors Relying on Medicare

MIDDLETOWN, RI—Cong. David Cicilline is speaking out against President-elect Trump's choice for Health and Human Services Secretary. Rep. Tom Price, a Georgia Republican, has opposed the Affordable Care Act and favors reforming the entitlement programs, Medicare and Medicaid.

Republicans have claimed the Medicare reforms, proposed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, would not affect people 55 and older.

Here is what Cicilline had to say about "the impact that Republican efforts to privatize Medicare will have on seniors like Middletown resident Trudy Willis."

"Mr. Speaker, this is Trudy Willis.

Trudy and her husband William are lifelong residents of Middletown in my district in Rhode Island.

They have three children and four wonderful grandchildren.

And like millions of Americans, Trudy relies on Medicare to pay for her health care needs.

For Trudy, Medicare isn’t an entitlement – it’s a benefit that she and millions of Americans have earned. And a promise our government has made..

That’s why I’m disappointed that President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will appoint a Secretary of Health and Human Services who wants to end Medicare as we know it.

Let me be very clear – President-elect Trump does not have a mandate to end the guarantee Medicare. He lost the popular vote total by about 2.5 million votes.

We are not going to let him kill one of the single most effective tools that seniors have to live their retirement years with dignity.

If Republicans bring up legislation to end Medicare, we will stop this legislation dead in its tracks.

We did it a decade ago when President George W. Bush tried to privatize Social Security, and we will do it again.

And by doing so we’ll maintain the promise we’ve made to Trudy and millions of seniors across our great country."