Health Care

Sununu says "stop complaining" about health care

Sununu's priorities are with the pharmaceutical industry, which has given him over $100,000, not with seniors or children. He has voted against cheaper drugs from Canada, immunization programs and Medicaid funding.

He doesn't recognize the crisis we live with everyday.

Sununu Voted Against Health Coverage for All Americans. In 2004, Sununu voted against an amendment that would increase spending by $60 billion from fiscal 2005 through 2009 to provide health insurance coverage to people without insurance. [Vote 47, 3/11/04]

Sununu Told NH Business Leaders to "Stop Complaining" About Health Care. During a 2006 meeting in Concord, Sununu told local business leaders to stop complaining about health care. "This may be the most bizarre recommendation, but I am sincere," Sununu said. "I'm not saying it's not an issue or it's not important, but proportionally speaking, stop complaining about health care." [Concord Monitor, 12/3/06]

He has made close friends with the drug companies...

Sununu Has Taken $109,248 from Pharmaceutical Industry. Since 1996, Sununu has taken $109,248 from various companies in the pharmaceutical industry. [Center for Responsive Politics, 6/18/07]

And now votes to support them, not us.

Sununu Has Voted Against Importation At Least Four Times. In May, John Sununu voted for at least the fourth time since joining the Senate against allowing the importation of safe, affordable prescription drugs from Canada. [Vote 150, 5/3/07; Vote 191, 7/11/06; Vote 232, 6/20/03; Vote 217, 7/11/01]

Sununu Voted Four Times Against Allowing Government to Negotiate to Lower Drug Costs. In April, Sununu voted for the fourth time against allowing the federal government to negotiate for lower drug prices for seniors three times. [Vote 132, 4/18/07; Vote 50, 3/15/06; Vote 60, 3/17/05; Vote 302, 11/3/05]

He votes against Medicare/Medicaid funding...

Sununu Voted Four Times Against Extending Medicare Enrollment Deadline. In 2006, Sununu voted to express "the sense of the Senate that the administration was capable of handling the problems, that an extension was unnecessary and that Congress should not act." After the vote failed, Sununu immediately voted against a Democratic proposal to extend the enrollment period for six months. In 2005, Sununu also voted against two amendments to extend the initial enrollment period for the Medicare prescription drug benefit by six months. [Vote 4, 2/2/06; Vote 5, 2/2/06; Vote 342, 11/17/05; Vote 294, 11/3/05; CQ Today, 2/2/06]

Sununu One of Only 19 Senators to Vote Against Aid To States, Including Medicaid Assistance. In 2003, Sununu voted against an amendment calling for at least $30 billion in aid to states, including Medicaid spending assistance. The amendment would express the sense of the Senate that any future economic stimulus package should provide at least $30 billion in fiscal relief to states over the next 18 months, with half of that amount for Medicaid spending assistance. Sununu was one of only 19 Senators to oppose the Medicaid assistance. [Vote 64, 3/20/03]

Sununu Voted Against $40 Billion In Aid to States That Included Medicaid Assistance. In 2003, Sununu voted against an amendment that would have provided $40 billion in aid to states and localities, with $16 billion in grants for states, $4 billion to localities, and $20 billion for a temporary increase in federal Medicaid assistance to states. [Vote 158, 5/15/03]

Sununu Voted for FY 06 Budget That Included $10 Billion in Medicaid Cuts. In April 2005, Sununu voted to adopt the conference report on a bill that would cut $10 billion in Medicaid spending. [Vote 114, 4/28/05]

Sununu Voted To Cut $10 Billion from Medicare and Medicaid in 2007 Budget. In March 2006, Sununu voted for an amendment to the FY2007 Budget Resolution that would cut $10 billion in Medicare and Medicaid mandatory spending from the Senate Finance Committee. Thirteen Republican Senators voted against the cuts, but Sununu was not one of them. [Vote 62, 3/16/06; Kansas City Star, 3/30/06]

Sununu Voted Against Preventing Severe Reduction in Medicare Federal Medical Assistance Percentage. In 2005, Senator Sununu voted against an amendment to prevent a "severe reduction" of the Medicare Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). The amendment also "extend[ed] rebates for prescription drugs to enrollees in Medicaid managed care organizations." [Vote 291, 11/3/05]

Sununu Voted Against Increasing Medicare Funding By $25 Billion. In 2003, Senator Sununu voted against an amendment "that would increase spending on Medicare by $25 billion over 10 years for the purpose of reducing the geographic disparity in Medicare reimbursement payments to health care providers and hospitals." [Vote 89, 3/25/03]

And also against children's healthcare.

Sununu Voted Against Budget That Would have Increased Funding for Children's Health Insurance, Veterans Healthcare and Education and Balanced the Budget by 2012. In 2007, Sununu opposed the FY 2008 budget resolution that, among other things, included increased funding for veteran's healthcare, children's health insurance, education, and extended $180 billion in middle class tax cuts. [Senate Budget Committee, 3/20/07; Conrad Floor Statement, 3/23/07; AP, 3/22/07; Vote 114, 3/23/07]

Sununu Voted Against Prioritizing Children's Healthcare Over Tax Cuts for Richest Americans. In November 2005, Sununu voted to kill an amendment to the Tax Reconciliation Bill that would have prioritized children's healthcare over high-income tax cuts. The amendment would have expressed the sense of the Senate, that the 15 percent dividend and capital gains tax cuts should not be extended until the federal government provided funding to state and local governments to enroll children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program. [Vote 337, 11/17/05]

We can't afford to get sick with John E. in the Senate