Washington, DC – The House of Representatives today overrode the President’s veto of H.R.6331, the Medicare physician payment fix, by a vote of 383-41, with Congressman Mac Thornberry voting to override the veto.  “I continue to be disappointed and frustrated at the partisan games in Congress which make it hard to find real, permanent solutions to the problems we face,” said Thornberry.  “This is only a short-term fix, but I voted to override the President’s veto because the potential of a 10% cut in Medicare reimbursements, driving more physicians out of the Medicare system, cannot be tolerated.  Due to partisan politics, and the Majority's failure to bring a bill up early enough to allow real debate, the alternative bill to provide a permanent fix to this problem was never even allowed a vote.”

Thornberry noted that on June 24, the House was presented with a bill, to which no amendments were allowed, that delayed the cuts for 18 months and made a number of other changes in Medicare.  “I voted against that bill because a better bill was available and should have at least been brought to a vote,” noted Thornberry.  “Unfortunately, due to partisan considerations, the better bill was never allowed a vote in either the House or the Senate. After the President vetoed the measure, I voted to override the veto – and thus approve – the legislation because July 15 is literally the last day to pass a bill before the 10% cut in Medicare reimbursements would become effective.”