[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H2943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      BUDGET IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my dismay at the 
budget. It is being pushed through this House by Members on the other 
side of the aisle. The Republican budget resolution cuts over $90 
billion from Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program, 
the S-CHIP program, better known as Healthy Families in the State of 
California. This provides 30 million children with coverage in their 
health care. The cuts will put health care coverage in jeopardy for one 
in five children under the age of 18.
  In California, we already are experiencing a disaster in terms of 
health care at the fringes. We need to do more to restore that 
assistance for low-income families, for seniors, for children, 
especially for services like dental care, physical therapy and diabetes 
management. None of us would want to go without these services. So why 
should we force the most vulnerable populations to go through this? The 
Democratic budget provides $10 billion in fiscal relief for Medicaid, 
programs for low-income seniors and children.
  I urge my colleagues to pass a real budget before we leave for our 
break.

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