Press Releases

Calls Wicker Vote Against Bill a Favor for Special Interest

Jackson, MS- Governor Ronnie Musgrove today praised Congressional Republicans and Democrats following yesterday's passage of a bill to prevent cuts to Medicare. Interim Senator Roger Wicker voted against this important bill in order to protect the private insurance industry.

"Without this bill, cuts would have forced many doctors to stop seeing Medicare patients. Thankfully advocates for doctors, patients and military families joined together to let Congress know they needed to pass this bill. I applaud the Republicans and Democrats who made the right vote," Musgrove said following a tour of the Jackson Medical Mall.

"Unfortunately, our interim senator, Roger Wicker, played the Washington game of protecting special interests instead of Mississippi doctors, seniors and military families. This was a fiscally responsible bill that was supported by House and Senate members in both parties. Wicker's vote highlights the need for change. Mississippi needs leaders who will take on the powerful insiders and who share our values."

In Mississippi, the cuts would have affected more than 438,000 Medicare patients and 115,000 TRICARE patients, who are mostly military families and retirees.

Wicker, who has voted against Medicare funding at least 20 times and votes with party leadership 97% of the time, has received $173,004 from the insurance industry.