WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Pat Roberts issued the following statement today:

"The Senate achieved a huge victory for Kansas seniors and health care providers today by approving the bipartisan Medicare bill, which includes many of my provisions to improve health care services for seniors.

"With a strong bipartisan vote, which has a veto-proof majority, I now urge President Bush to sign this bill immediately so that our seniors can continue to get the care that they need and deserve.

"There are important provisions for virtually all of our health care providers including our doctors, pharmacists, rural hospitals and home health care providers. They deserve to have this law enacted as soon as possible so that they can continue to provide high quality care."

Senator Roberts is a member of the Finance Committee, which drafted this legislation, and the Co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus.

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