[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23637-23638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET IS BAD FOR LATINOS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to the proposed 
Republican budget cuts and the impact it will have on the Latino 
community. There are nearly 40 million Latinos in the United States, 
and more than 19 million are in the labor force making contributions to 
our Nation's prosperity and economic growth. These families have 
strengthened the fabric of our society through their commitment to 
family and community.
  The Republican budget, in my opinion, ignores the challenges that 
American families are facing, particularly Latino families. Republicans 
have proposed cuts to essential programs to our Nation's Latino 
families in order to pay for the $106 billion tax break for the wealthy 
few. These tax cuts are reckless, in my opinion, and unfair to the 
middle- and lower-income families, and reflect this Republican-led 
Congress's double standard.
  The Republican proposal includes a cut of more than $10 billion of 
Medicaid over the next 5 years. Today, as you know, Medicaid is the 
largest health insurance program in our country, and Medicaid is a very 
important program for the Latino families in America. It currently 
provides health insurance to about 58 million people, including 28 
million who are children. Medicaid helps 41 percent of people who live 
in poverty, many of whom work full time and still do not earn enough to 
rise out of poverty.
  Over 10 million Medicaid recipients are Latinos, and Medicaid covers 
more than one in three Latino children. Latinos have the highest 
uninsured rate in America. One out of every three Latinos, or 34 
percent of those Latinos, are without any form of health insurance, and 
as a result, Latinos depend on Medicaid as their only means of health 
care access. By making preventative and primary care more readily 
available, and by protecting against and providing care for serious 
diseases, Medicaid has improved the health of millions of low-income 
Latinos and their families.
  Despite Medicaid's enormous importance in providing access to health 
care services for millions of Latinos, Medicaid remains under assault 
by the Republican Congress and its administration. When the Republicans 
took control of Congress back in 1995, the first thing they did was 
propose slashing Medicaid by $128 billion to pay for the tax cuts for 
the wealthiest Americans.
  Once again, Medicaid is under assault, and the Republicans are at it 
again. The Republican proposal would shift the cost to States and 
beneficiaries, undermine the ability to provide health care services, 
and ultimately increase the number of uninsured.

                              {time}  2030

  Medicaid cuts would shut the neediest individuals out of public 
health

[[Page 23638]]

programs. Latinos represent nearly one-fifth of the Medicaid 
beneficiaries. They would be disproportionately affected by these cuts. 
Latinos are already marginalized in this country. At a time when 
Latinos lack proper health insurance and are facing rising health care 
costs, cuts in Medicaid funding will ultimately deny care and treatment 
to the most vulnerable. Many of these cuts for Medicaid will be forced 
to rely on emergency medical services and, as you know, will cost the 
taxpayers more money.
  The administration has allowed 5.4 million Americans to slip into 
poverty. Under the proposal in my State of California, it is estimated 
to lose over $174 million in Federal funds annually, and current 
enrollment would drop by 3 million people. In my county alone, in L.A., 
the loss would be close to $74.5 million, affecting over one million 
beneficiaries.
  A recent study shows the combination of stagnant income and 
staggering increases, important items like health care, housing, 
education, transportation, all affecting our families. These cuts do 
nothing to relieve America's working families.
  Let us do the right thing. Let us make sure we fully fund Medicaid so 
that American families and Latino families have full access to 
affordable quality health care for themselves and their children.
  On this eve where we are paying tribute to a former Member of 
Congress, Congressman Ed Roybal from Los Angeles, who was a pioneer 
advocating for the elderly and health care and Medicaid, I would ask 
that we remember at this time his strength and his tenacity in this 
House and how he fought so hard for the coverage of services through 
Medicaid for our seniors and especially those in East Los Angeles and 
across the country.

                          ____________________