[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 25, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3524-S3525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Medicaid

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today because Republicans are 
making America safer and more prosperous, and, as part of that, we are 
strengthening Medicaid.
  You know, I am a doctor. I practiced medicine in Wyoming for over 20 
years,

[[Page S3525]]

and I cared for many, many Medicaid patients my entire career. I 
understand Medicaid's importance--importance for the people that it is 
intended to serve. I have also seen its shortcomings.
  Medicaid became a law in 1965. It was meant to be a safety net for 
the poor, for pregnant women, for children, and for the disabled.
  Today, Medicaid has been stretched way beyond its intended purposes. 
Today, Medicaid covers 71 million people. Many of these are able-
bodied, working-age individuals. As a result, Medicaid has become 
broken and bloated. Its costs are ballooning. It is going to go 
bankrupt unless we take action now to strengthen it.
  The Republican plan will strengthen Medicaid for those for whom it 
was originally intended.
  Our bill ensures that illegal immigrants do not receive taxpayer-
funded healthcare. It was never intended for that. But 14 liberal 
States currently give free taxpayer funded healthcare to illegal 
immigrants.
  California, of course, is the biggest offender because they set up a 
money-laundering scheme. The scheme is set up to siphon money from the 
Federal Treasury to provide free healthcare for illegal immigrants. The 
1.4 million illegal immigrants who receive free healthcare, they 
strangle Medicaid in the funding. They are filling up waiting rooms and 
clinics. They are making it harder for Americans to get in to see a 
doctor.
  Our bill ends liberal States' magnet for illegal immigrants. Medicaid 
cannot continue to be a reward for open borders and sanctuary cities.
  Additionally, our bill roots out waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption 
in Medicaid. Experts tell us that, in recent years, Medicaid has wasted 
over $1 trillion in improper payments alone.
  In 2021, 660,000 people were enrolled in Medicaid in more than one 
State. How can that be? That is costing lots of money. The Wall Street 
Journal did a breakdown of this. They found that these double payments 
alone cost American taxpayers over $2 billion.
  Republicans will not allow scammers to continue to game the system 
and steal money from taxpayers.
  Additionally, our bill puts in place work requirements for these 
able-bodied, working-age adults. Twenty-one million able-bodied adults 
are currently on Medicaid.
  An American Enterprise Institute study recently found able-bodied 
adults on Medicaid who don't work. How do they spend their time? Well, 
they spend over 4 hours every day watching TV and playing video games. 
That is 125 hours a month. They ought to be working or at least looking 
for a job.
  Our bill requires these people to work or train 80 hours each month 
to remain on Medicaid. That is a lot less than the time they are 
currently spending watching TV and playing video games.
  Senate Republicans are proposing a responsible path to self-reliance 
for able-bodied, working-age people--no more taxpayer-funded coddling.
  Let me share with you a story about a man whose son relies on 
Medicaid. This man's son has autism and epilepsy. Medicaid was designed 
to serve individuals like this man's son. Yet, today, his son is stuck 
on a 10-year waiting list for in-home care.
  The man wrote about his family's needs. He wrote a whole article 
about it, entitled ``My Son Is Counting on Medicaid Work 
Requirements''--not for the son but for others, so they start working 
to make it easier for this man's son to get the benefits that he needs.
  Medicaid is often called a lifeline. Years of waste, fraud, abuse, 
and corruption have pushed those who truly need it to the back of the 
line.
  Republicans are fighting for families like this one. We are making 
sure Medicaid is there for the vulnerable.
  Meanwhile, Democrats are fine with healthy, working-age adults 
continuing to stay home, play video games, and receive Medicaid 
forever.
  Work requirements work. In the 1990s, Bill Clinton proposed that we 
end welfare as we know it. President Clinton partnered in a bipartisan 
way with the Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, to pass bipartisan 
reform.
  Bipartisan welfare reform lifted millions out of poverty. Even 
President Obama admitted it. He said:

       We have to have work as the centerpiece of any social 
     policy.

  President Obama was right then, and Republicans are right today.
  Today, every Democrat has vowed to oppose our commonsense reforms. 
Democrats' wasteful approach continues to drain Medicaid.
  Medicaid is for the truly needy. Medicaid is not for illegal 
immigrants or for able-bodied, working-age men who refuse to work.
  Republicans are rescuing this lifeline so that it serves those who 
need it the most now and into the future.