Jennifer McClellan Points To Medicaid Recipient In Takedown Of GOP Reconciliation Budget Plan

Forbes Breaking News

At today's House Energy Committee hearing, Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) slammed the GOP budget.

Transcript

00:00We're recognized for three minutes for an opening statement.

00:02Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

00:03So today we are here with a mandate from congressional Republicans

00:07to squeeze our nation's finances into a framework that requires devastating cuts.

00:13And these cuts are not just a line item on a piece of paper.

00:17They impact people's lives, our friends, our family, our neighbors, our constituents.

00:23Now, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said that they're only trying to strengthen Medicaid.

00:28But what they don't tell you is that this bill we take up today effectively guts the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.

00:36It kicks 13.7 million people off of their health insurance.

00:41It raises health care costs for everybody else.

00:44It shifts Medicaid costs to the states as they are struggling to fill holes in their budgets

00:50caused by other funding freezes, workforce cuts, and budget cuts.

00:55This bill handcuffs the state's ability to fund their share of Medicaid.

00:59It will further stress an already stressed and underfunded provider network, especially in rural areas.

01:08And for what?

01:09To fund tax cuts for the wealthiest few.

01:13And as a result, millions of people will suffer.

01:16People like my constituent, Jessica, who was born with her umbilical cord wrapped tightly around her neck,

01:25restricting oxygen and causing brain damage.

01:29Now 36 years old, Jessica reads at a pre-K level due to the intellectual impairment resulting from her traumatic birth.

01:38Jessica and her family rely on Medicaid to pay the bills for her doctor's appointments.

01:42And a Medicaid waiver allows her family to care for Jessica in their home.

01:48As her sister wrote to me, we love her and we want to take care of her.

01:54We didn't want Jessica to end up in a group home.

01:57She has only known family caring for her.

02:01And yes, I'm paid a salary to keep my sister at home, her home, and take care of her.

02:06But it is not a handout.

02:10Families like mine aren't asking for handouts.

02:12We're asking for help that allows us to provide the best care possible to lighten our loads.

02:19Mr. Chairman, my Democratic colleagues and I have shared stories with you today about our constituents, the faces of Medicaid.

02:28On their own, each is a powerful testament to the importance of Medicaid.

02:33But together, they are a glimpse into the kaleidoscope of nearly 80 million Americans across the country

02:42whose health care is in the crosshairs of the cuts in this bill we will take up today,

02:48all to give tax breaks to a sliver of the wealthiest Americans.

02:53I urge my colleagues to keep these constituents, these stories in mind as you rush to find tax cuts for the wealthiest few in America.

03:04I yield back.

03:05Gentle lady yields back.

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