[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 138 (Wednesday, October 26, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H9106-H9107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, today I rise in opposition to the proposed 
Republican budget cuts and the harmful impact that will have on women 
across the country. The Republican budget slashes Medicaid by $10 
billion, a vital program for the health and welfare of women of all 
ages. It provides essential care such as family planning, breast and 
cervical cancer treatment, and care for disabled women to more than 16 
million women, including approximately 10 million women of child-
bearing age. In California alone, in my State, over 3.7 million women 
of all ages are enrolled in Medicaid and 1.3 million Medicaid 
beneficiaries are recipients in Los Angeles County. Medicaid ensures 
that women receive a full spectrum of maternity coverage, including 
prenatal, labor, delivery, and postpartum care. Medicaid is one of the 
largest sources of funding for women over the age of 80 living in 
nursing homes, covering nursing home costs and long-term care services.

[[Page H9107]]

  These facts demonstrate that Medicaid is a significant health safety 
net program for women. The proposed Republican budget cuts billions 
from Medicaid. I urge my colleagues to reject the Medicaid budget cuts 
and to provide full funding for women and their children and for the 
vital safety of children.

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