[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 56 (Thursday, March 27, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1330-H1333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1315
PROTECTING MEDICAID FOR CALIFORNIANS
(Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Kiley
of California was recognized for 30 minutes.)
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform folks
throughout California and the entire country of one of the biggest
scandals in our State's history, which is that Governor Newsom is
literally bankrupting Medicaid in our State. He is driving it insolvent
through a policy that exists nowhere else in the country, in no other
State, a policy of offering free, comprehensive, universal Medicaid, or
Medi-Cal as we call it, to the entire population of illegal immigrants
in our State who meet the income threshold. No other State has done
this, and in California, it has been an absolute disaster.
Initially, it was estimated that this unprecedented expansion would
cost just a few billion dollars. It turns out that it is going to cost
$9.5 billion just for this year.
Because of that enormous cost overrun, because of the resulting
shortfall of some $6 billion, Governor Newsom has just taken out an
emergency loan from the general fund in order to cover payments. On top
of that, he has asked the legislature to appropriate even more money,
billions more.
Think about what this means over, let's say, the next 10 years. If
the cost has grown from a few billion dollars to $9.5 billion just in
this first year, what can we expect year over year going forward? We
are likely talking about hundreds of billions of dollars of money from
California taxpayers that will be spent this next decade implementing a
policy that exists nowhere else in the country to provide comprehensive
care, comprehensive government-provided healthcare, to those who are in
our State illegally.
Here is the worst thing. Not only is this fiscally unsustainable, but
those are funds that could be going to shoring up Medicaid, Medi-Cal,
and improving the system, improving access to
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care, and improving the quality of care for our own legal residents.
If you are a California citizen on Medicaid right now, the kind of
coverage that you get, the kind of actual delivery of service that you
get, likely is not that good. Doctors throughout the State simply will
not take Medicaid patients because the reimbursement rate is so low.
This policy of Governor Newsom and the supermajority in California is
a conscious decision to put the entire solvency of our system at risk,
to diminish access to care for our own residents, and to, in fact, make
it harder to get appointments because now there is a whole new
population that is looking to get into the system and doing so in a way
that has no precedent anywhere else in the country.
In fact, in many cases, it actually costs the State more money to
provide Medicaid to a person who is in the State illegally because,
number one, there is no Federal funding for such enrollees, so the
State bears almost the entire cost. Even the overall cost, forgetting
about who is paying for it, can be higher. When you look at, for
example, the rebates for prescription drugs that are available at the
Federal level because the Federal Government negotiates in bulk, that
is not available for this population that is covered by State funds, so
we are actually paying more than we would for our own citizens.
Mr. Speaker, this outrageous policy simply cannot continue. I am
calling on Governor Newsom and the State legislature to reverse it
immediately. That should be the obvious next step when the system has
gone insolvent to the extent that the Governor is forced to take out an
emergency loan.
Here in Congress, I have introduced legislation that will preserve
Medicaid benefits in California and across the country for only those
who are legal residents of our country. I think we also have an
opportunity to rein in what Governor Newsom is doing through the
reconciliation process, and I look forward to doing that in order to
protect Medicaid for Californians.
Update on California's Failing High-Speed Rail Project
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an
update on the latest unbelievable revelations concerning high-speed
rail, the high-speed rail disaster in California.
Yesterday, California's legislative analyst testified before the
State legislature that the project faces a $7 billion budget gap and
that the funds must be secured by next June. The legislative analyst's
spokesperson said: ``There is no specific plan to meet that roughly $7
billion gap. We also think there is some risk that that gap could
grow.''
Indeed, the hearing at which the legislative analyst testified was
very brief because the California High-Speed Rail Authority submitted
an incomplete update to those who had organized the hearing. The high-
speed rail authority can't manage to complete anything on time, even
its own reports to the legislature, let alone a high-speed train from
Los Angeles to San Francisco or even that very first segment from
Bakersfield to Merced, which is now projected to miss the 2033
deadline.
Listen to the bipartisan pushback that this is getting. Assembly
Member Steven Bennett, a Democrat from Ventura, said: ``We have no
plan. We have a good likelihood it is going to get worse, and we have a
short time to solve the problem.''
``The definition of insanity,'' said Democrat Assembly Member Cottie
Petrie-Norris, ``is doing the same thing over and over again and
expecting a different outcome.''
The truly amazing thing is the legislative analyst testified that
this update that the rail authority provided, even this incomplete
update, assumes there will still be Federal dollars. They are saying
there is a $7 billion budget shortfall for just the next few months,
and that has an unrealistic assumption that goes with it that there is
going to be further Federal funding.
I can say this right now: There will not be further Federal funding.
How do I know that? Because I was at a press conference with
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just a few weeks ago in Los
Angeles, where it was made very clear that this project is a failure.
In fact, there is now an investigation that has been launched by the
Department of Transportation to claw back billions of dollars that have
been granted.
I have also asked for an investigation by FBI Director Kash Patel to
figure out how it is exactly that they have already spent $17 billion,
that the overall cost has grown to in excess of $130 billion, yet no
track has been laid after 16 years of some kind of work supposedly
being done.
Finally, I have introduced legislation to make the high-speed rail
project ineligible for further Federal funding at any point going
forward, which, again, the rail authority is entirely reliant on the
assumption of Federal funding just to get to a point where there is
only a $7 billion budget gap for just the first next few months.
The fact of the matter is that this project has failed. It is not
going to happen. There is absolutely no justification for spending
another dollar of taxpayer money, especially when our roads continue to
crumble and be rated among the worst in the world.
I will be advancing my legislation here, and I am calling on Governor
Newsom and the legislature to do the right thing and bring an end to
this failed and embarrassing project once and for all.
Condemning Classification of Israel as an Adversary
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, today on the House floor, there
was an amendment offered that suffered the most overwhelming defeat
that I have ever seen in the United States Congress, and for good
reason. It is perhaps the most abhorrent legislative proposal I have
ever seen in the United States Congress.
The Representative from Michigan, Representative Tlaib, introduced a
measure that would classify Israel as an adversary of the United States
alongside the likes of China, Iran, and North Korea.
Fortunately, this proposal was swiftly and nearly unanimously
rejected by the House of Representatives. Look at the vote total. A
grand total of three people, including the author, voted ``yes.'' Every
single other Member, Democrat or Republican, over 400 Members, voted
``no.''
This sent a very important message regarding what was being suggested
with this proposal, that one of our most important allies in the entire
world, Israel, at this time when it faces so many challenges, is
somehow a country of concern, an adversary of the United States
comparable to Iran or North Korea, and to single out this one country,
Israel, of all the countries in the world.
We have seen across America, and in particular on college campuses,
deeply disturbing, abhorrent anti-Semitism, which has absolutely no
place and that we never thought we would ever see anything like it in
this country. I think when you have proposals in Congress that
encourage that, that are very much thematically aligned with the pro-
Hamas, anti-Semitic encampments that took over universities in the
country, it is very important that that is condemned strongly and
unequivocally. I am very proud that that is exactly what the House of
Representatives did today.
{time} 1330
Zero Job Growth in California
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, the California Center for Jobs
and the Economy has just released an absolutely stunning report that
shows how deeply Governor Gavin Newsom has driven our State's economy
into the ground. Among the findings was that for the month of January,
job growth in our State was nonexistent.
The number of net jobs that were added to the California economy was
exactly zero for the month of January. By comparison, Texas added
27,900; Florida added 16,500; and even New York added 20,100.
California added zero. Indeed, California is one of only five States in
the country that has not recovered the jobs that it lost during the
COVID shutdowns.
As things now stand, our unemployment rate is the second highest in
the country. It is the second highest out of all 50 States. Indeed,
there are 1 million Californians who are unemployed, and that has been
true for 13 straight months. What is more, even those jobs that have
been created in the COVID recovery are entirely government or
government-dependent jobs.
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So to quote the spokesperson, or the head, of the California Business
Roundtable, Rob Lapsley: ``To put it more directly, other than in
trade, California has not grown jobs during the past 4 years of
recovery; it has bought them with public funds.''
We would have zero job growth and zero recovery if it weren't for
government jobs.
What is more, beyond that, even when you look at folks who are
employed, Mr. Speaker, the average number of hours per week is
shrinking in California as well.
This is truly stunning, Mr. Speaker, when you consider everything
that our State has to offer, not only being a place that has a greater
diversity of natural wonders and attractions and beauty than just about
any place on Earth, but it also has so many dynamic and thriving
industries, so many incredible companies and employers. It has such a
rich history of innovation and of driving the Nation forward.
Somehow this Governor and the existing legislature have managed to
turn it into the State that does the absolute worst when it comes to
jobs of any State in the country.
So why is that the case?
It is no mystery, Mr. Speaker. You can just look at misguided policy
after misguided policy which has served to discourage companies from
starting, discourage companies from adding jobs, discourage companies
from staying here, and indeed, has made more people leave this State
than any other for several consecutive years.
I am working on legislation in Congress inasmuch as we can use the
levers we have here at the Federal level to try to bring some sanity
back to the economic policy environment in California because there are
areas where Federal and State policy intersect.
For example, we are getting rid of all of these EV mandates or
electric train mandates or electric truck mandates or electric
lawnmower mandates. I will soon be introducing a Congressional Review
Act resolution to end Gavin Newsom's plan to ban gas-powered cars in
California.
Beyond that, there are a number of State policies that everyone knows
are causing immense harm and yet remain on the books. So if our State's
leadership has the chance to look at this report and get a little dose
of reality and has any inclination to actually try to turn things
around and help folks in our State, here are a few suggestions:
Repeal AB 5, which has effectively banned independent contracting in
our State and has put countless freelancers out of work.
Overturn the Private Attorneys General Act, PAGA, which is the bane
of many small businesses' existence and accounts for the nonexistence
of many that have been forced to close because of the harassing
lawsuits that it leads to.
Reexamine every mandate that we place on employers, especially those
that don't exist in any other State, and evaluate the impact they have
on the incentive to hire.
Take a cue from President Trump who has said we are going to repeal
10 regulations for every new regulation that we offer.
If there is any place where the regulatory thicket can rival or even
surpass that of the Federal Government, it is the bureaucracy that we
have in California.
Speaking of the bureaucracy, find ways to rein in these massive,
unelected policymaking bodies we have in California such as CARB, the
California Air Resources Board.
These are just a few suggestions, but our State has absolutely
enormous potential that currently is being dramatically underutilized.
It is truly a sad thing as we see it in every community in this State.
You see your favorite restaurant or another cherished small business
that suddenly closes its doors for good, and you see so many of our
fellow citizens who are lacking the sort of opportunities that a well-
governed State would allow them.
So I would hope that if anything could be a wake-up call, then this
latest stunning report with this very round number of zero new jobs
will serve as that wake-up call that can catalyze and motivate some
real reform in California.
SpaceX Rescue
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate
and thank SpaceX and its Crew Dragon capsule for successfully returning
the two astronauts, Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had been
stranded in the International Space Station for 286 days.
Most Americans are now familiar with the story and with the issues
that arose with the Boeing Starliner that made them unable to return on
that vessel and the delays that ensued after that such that these
astronauts had to overstay their planned trip by many, many, many
weeks.
It was just on March 18, a little over 1 week ago, that they finally
were brought home thanks to SpaceX and splashdown in the Gulf of
America.
This was a great moment for our country, certainly a great moment for
the astronauts and their families, and I think it serves as a reminder
of how important America's lead is when it comes to the commercial
space industry.
We saw just this last year repeated efforts by the Biden
administration to hold back that progress and to specifically target
SpaceX.
Now, it needs to be noted that SpaceX accounts for over 90 percent of
the total payload brought into orbit in the entire world, and so
targeting SpaceX is truly weakening our own country given how important
our global dominance in space is. So this latest demonstration of the
capacity of this particular company and American ingenuity in general
to accomplish amazing feats should hopefully serve as a reminder that
we have now turned a page, that we are now encouraging innovation, and
that we must never return to the misguided policies and, frankly,
discriminatory treatment that prevailed during the administration of
President Biden.
So I thank SpaceX again and welcome home, a long delayed welcome
home, and welcome back to Earth to our astronauts.
Artificial Intelligence Announcement
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of chairing
the subcommittee that has jurisdiction over all of K-12 education, and
I wanted to let folks know about a very important hearing that we are
having next Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. eastern time on artificial
intelligence and its uses in education.
Now, some folks might hear the topic of that hearing and think about
things like: Is AI making it easier for students to cheat, or is this
going to absorb young people even further into digital worlds?
Those are certainly concerns. However, the focus of our hearing is
going to be on the upside. It will be on the tremendous potential, the
boundless opportunities that AI--even as it exists right now, let alone
what its capabilities are going to be in a matter of weeks, months, and
years, the unbelievable opportunities to close achievement gaps and
advance student achievement.
I firmly believe, if it isn't already true now then it will be true
in a very short time, that every child in America now has the ability
to get a richer and more immersive education than any child did just a
few years ago.
I was part of an organization when I was a teacher that was aimed at
closing achievement gaps in America. The different opportunities that
are afforded to young students depending on the ZIP Code that they live
in is an ongoing failure of our public education system. There are many
policy changes that we need to make to address that, such as providing
for greater choices for students and their families.
However, the use of artificial intelligence is another incredibly
powerful tool for closing these achievement gaps. That is because now,
no matter where you were born, the ZIP Code that you live in, or the
neighborhood school that is closest to you, Mr. Speaker, you, as a
young person growing up in America, can access the entirety of human
knowledge. It can be conveyed and given to you in a way that meets your
own starting knowledge level, your own ability level, and your own
strengths and weaknesses in the modality that fits you.
We are seeing incredible things that are being done already at
different schools across the country as well as with platforms like the
Khan Academy where you can have a direct dialogue with a chatbot or,
for example, a reanimated version of Albert Einstein that
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teaches you physics, or you can have a dialogue with a historical
figure as you are learning history, or with a literary character as you
are reading a classic novel.
In addition, beyond giving the student this novel, immersive
experience that is uniquely tailored to them, it also liberates
teachers to focus on those sorts of things that only a caring human
instructor can do. So we are still in the very early stages, and the
capabilities of AI systems are growing by the day.
I think this is going to be a very important moment for us to look at
what is being done now and what we can do going forward to expand these
incredible learning opportunities to every child in America.
So you can tune into our hearing next Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. eastern
time.
Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Grass Valley
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish to mark and to celebrate
the centennial anniversary of the Rotary Club of Grass Valley based in
California's Third Congressional District.
The Rotary Club of Grass Valley was established in 1925 by 25 local
business and professional leaders who were inspired by the Rotary
movement's ideals of service and ethical business practices.
Club members represented a cross section of the community and
included businessmen and professionals associated with and directly
involved with the major regional economic activities of mining and
timber harvesting.
The outbreak of World War II had a profound impact on the activities
of the Rotary Club as many of its members were called to serve in the
U.S. Armed Forces. Those who remained in Grass Valley continued to
support the war effort through various initiatives, such as organizing
blood drives, collecting scrap metal, and helping military families.
The history of the Rotary Club of Grass Valley is a testament to the
power of community spirit and collective action.
Today, the Rotary Club hosts several community events meant to
support the numerous programs and activities that provide the resources
needed to promote the quality of life of Grass Valley residents, the
surrounding region, and communities across the globe.
For more than 10 decades now, the club has demonstrated an ongoing
commitment to service, fellowship, and leadership. Their contributions
are an indelible part of the Grass Valley community and have made a
lasting impact on our region.
Therefore, on behalf of California's Third Congressional District and
the United States House of Representatives, I am pleased to recognize
the Rotary Club of Grass Valley for their outstanding contributions
throughout their 100-year history, and I commend them for their ongoing
and tireless devotion to community service.
Here is to another great 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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