Merkley Touts Plans to Make Medicine, Long Term Care More Affordable for Seniors

Smith Wants to Privatize Social Security, Opposes Cheaper Prescription Drugs

MEDFORD - While touring Southern Oregon on his 100 Towns for Change tour, House Speaker Jeff Merkley, candidate for U.S. Senate, discussed his new plans to make prescription drugs and long term care more affordable for seniors and fight Republican efforts to privatize social security.

Republican Gordon Smith, who appeared in Salem at an event for seniors today, has been a failure for Oregon seniors.

* Smith has voted at least three times to privatize social security[1].
* Smith has voted at least twice against allowing the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug costs[2].

While Smith opposed efforts to make prescription drugs more affordable, Jeff Merkley led bipartisan efforts in Oregon to expand the state's prescription drug bulk purchasing program to make medicine more affordable for Oregonians. [SB 362, 4/26/07]

"Our seniors have been forced to take a back seat to lobbyists for the drug and insurance companies and that has got to change," said House Speaker Jeff Merkley. "While Smith was representing drug companies in Washington, I was working with Democrats and Republicans to deliver more affordable medicine for seniors in Oregon."

Merkley's Plans for Seniors:

1. Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable

In the U.S. Senate, Jeff Merkley will end the price control monopoly of drug companies by requiring the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to get the best prices for Americans.

2. Cut Taxes on Long-Term Care for Seniors

As the American population ages, more and more of the "sandwich generation" find themselves caring for not only their children, but their elderly parents as well. Jeff Merkley will help multigenerational families to make ends meet by assisting families who are paying for long term care for their aging parents by expanding the Dependent Care Tax Credit to include caregiving expenses paid on behalf of an elderly parent.

3. Always Protect Social Security

Social security is a bedrock commitment made between generations. In the U.S. Senate Jeff Merkley will always fight efforts by Republicans and special interests to privatize social security.

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[1] Senate vote #77, 4/2/98; Senate vote #227, 7/29/99; Senate vote #23, 3/13/01

[2] Senate vote #302, 11/3/05; Senate vote #60, 3/17/05

Posted August 14, 2008
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