[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H2652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MEDICAID CUTS IN THE BUDGET

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, 44 Republicans wrote to the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Nussle), the Committee on the Budget chairman, protesting the 
Medicaid cuts included in the House budget they had recently voted for. 
Their letter says, ``We strongly urge you to remove these reductions 
and the reconciliation instructions targeted at Medicaid.''
  Their letter correctly notes that the policy should drive the budget 
and not the budget the policy. That is a good idea. Unfortunately, it 
seems like one that will not be followed in the impending budget deal.
  I hope, Mr. Speaker, that if the budget conference report contains 
Medicaid cuts, these 44 Republican Members will not buckle to the 
pressure of the Republican leadership.
  We all need to stand firm. Just issuing a letter against cuts in a 
budget you just voted for is not enough. It is important to follow up 
by not voting for the final bill if it contains the cuts you say you 
are against.
  Cuts to Medicaid of this magnitude are going to have real harm to 
millions of real people. We should reject any budget that 
indiscriminately calls for millions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid.

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