[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6047]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     MEDICAID BLOCK GRANTS PROGRAM

  (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, I rise today in strong opposition to the 
Republican plan to gut Medicaid. This plan isn't about finding cost-
effective ways to improve Medicaid. It's about limiting health care for 
some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
  It's telling seniors they no longer qualify for their nursing home 
care. It's taking away access to well child visits. The Medicaid 
program isn't just numbers on a balance sheet; it's the only access to 
care for millions of low-income seniors, poor children and people with 
disabilities.
  Under the Republican proposal, there will be less access and less 
care, especially in times of economic stress, like what we are going 
through today. Medicaid rolls swell as people lose jobs and families 
lose income. Under the Republican block grant scheme, tough times would 
mean even tougher times for the newly unemployed, the frail and the 
young.
  As a nurse, I believe a key moral measure of our society is how we 
treat the least among us. This irresponsible Republican proposal just 
doesn't measure up.

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