May 19, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today was joined by Nevada seniors from Las Vegas and Sparks and Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Director Ed Coyle to highlight the Republicans’ reckless agenda to end Medicare in order to pay for billions in government giveaways to Big Oil companies.  Yesterday, Senate Republicans blocked Reid’s effort to end taxpayer-funded subsidies for oil companies -- which would have cut the deficit by $20 billion – after embracing a Republican budget that eliminates Medicare as we know it.

“Yesterday’s vote gave Republicans the opportunity to choose between protecting billions in government giveaways to Big Oil executives and protecting Medicare on which thousands of Nevada seniors rely,” said Reid.  “Their choice was clear and they showed that their priorities are dead wrong.  They just don’t understand that seniors – not big oil companies -- are struggling.  We must work together to get our deficit under control, but we cannot balance the budget on the backs of seniors while lining the pockets of the oil industry.”

“We need to be honest about the root of our problems,” said Ed Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans.  “Is our deficit too high because of seniors who visit a doctor?  Or are we running in the red because of $4 billion per year in taxpayer subsidies to oil companies?  The big five oil companies have made nearly $1 trillion in profits in the last decade.  In my opinion, they don’t need help the way America’s seniors do.”

Seniors Gail Dietrich from Sparks and Dick Collins from Las Vegas joined the call.

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