[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6057]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 PUERTO RICO MEDICAID FUNDS EVAPORATING

  (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, while my Republican colleagues take their 
sweet time passing a bill to fund the government, Puerto Rico is 
watching its Medicaid funds evaporate.
  In this package, we must provide sufficient resources to address this 
shortfall from the funding authorized under the ACA that is already 
owed to the people of Puerto Rico.
  I remind Congress the funding under discussion would close a Medicaid 
shortage that was created by the unequal treatment of American citizens 
in Puerto Rico, fueling a healthcare crisis of historic proportions.
  Last year, Speaker Paul Ryan committed to helping the people of 
Puerto Rico. As he, himself, recognized, these are our fellow citizens.
  Yes, Mr. President, they are American citizens. They have fought, 
shed blood, and given their lives in nearly every major war, yet they 
have been treated unfairly for decades.
  Donald Trump's own HHS Secretary recently acknowledged Puerto Rico 
needs $900 million to fund Medicaid. For once, I agree with the 
Secretary.

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