[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10132]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            CUTS TO MEDICAID

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Carbajal) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of children and 
adults living with disabilities across the United States.
  The cuts to Medicaid outlined in the dangerous Senate healthcare 
repeal bill will not only result in the loss of healthcare access for 
millions of Americans, but will also significantly reduce funding for 
In-Home Supportive Services in my home State of California.
  Medicaid covers 50 percent of the program costs for In-Home 
Supportive Services. These funds provide care for an estimated 531,000 
disabled children and seniors throughout California, which permits them 
to continue to live with dignity in their own home.
  The $772 billion cut to Medicaid outlined in this bill will have a 
devastating impact on seniors and people with disabilities who rely on 
Medicaid as their safety net for necessary long-term care services.
  These cuts will directly affect the lives of my constituents, 
including 15-year-old Crystal from Santa Maria, California, in my 
district. Crystal was born with spina bifida, weighing in at just 2 
pounds. She has survived under the dedicated care of her mother and 
grandmother, who are her primary caretakers. Crystal is covered by 
Medicaid, which allows her to receive specialized medical attention, 
adaptive medical equipment, physical therapy, and pharmaceuticals. 
Crystal's condition requires 24-hour care, a need that is fulfilled by 
the In-Home Supportive Services program. Her life is contingent upon 
this program.
  I call upon my colleagues in the Senate to vote against this cruel 
healthcare repeal, also known as TrumpCare, for Crystal and the 
millions of our constituents like her who are at risk of losing their 
quality of life.

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