Pallone: Millions of People Will Lose Their Health Care if Republicans Pass This Budget Rip-Off

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) delivered the following remarks on the House floor today in opposition to the Republican budget resolution, which would take health care away from millions of Americans:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this Republican budget resolution. Make no mistake about it – this budget will lead to millions of Americans losing their health care coverage all so Republicans can give giant tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations.

The only goup that wants these tax breaks is Wall Street, not average Americans. Mr. Speaker, if Republicans pass this resolution today, we will be forced to cut a minimum of nearly one trillion dollars from Medicaid – our nation’s largest health care program. And for those who are saying that somehow the Medicaid program has a lot of waste, let me remind you that Medicaid is the leanest federal health care program. Every independent study says that Medicaid is the most financially sound health care program.

The consequences of these cuts will be devastating. Medicaid provides health care to 1 in 3 Americans and nearly half of all children in the United States. It covers close to half of all births in the country and is the largest source of funding for long-term care for seniors and people living with disabilities. This is a lifesaving program that 80 million Americans count on every day. 

And yet, today House Republicans are unnecessarily rushing forward with a budget resolution that would impose the largest health care cuts in our nation’s history. Millions of people will lose their health care, but that will just be the beginning. The ripple effects will be felt throughout the entire country.  

Health care prices will sharply rise. Hospitals – particularly those in underserved and rural communities – will be forced to close. So too will nursing homes. Seniors will lose the care they rely on. Doctors and nurses will be laid off. Emergency rooms will once again be overflowing as people are forced to delay care until absolutely necessary. States will be bankrupted and forced to make painful cuts to important local services. And people will be forced to pay more and travel increasingly longer distances in order to get care as health care deserts spread throughout the country. 

Mr. Speaker, it doesn’t have to be this way. If just a few of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle take a stand today we can stop this from happening. So, I implore my Republican colleagues to think about the harm that will be done to their communities and their constituents if this budget resolution is adopted.  

Stand up! I urge my colleagues to think twice and vote no. 

Thank you, I yield back. 

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