Political Quotes

“I thank our distinguished ranking member. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose this bill, the so-called CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act. First of all, we are a month late and many dollars short. It was the majority that brought it up late. We didn't have anything to do with being late. Secondly, we are playing political games with the lives of 14 percent of the children in my congressional district who receive their health insurance through the Children's Health Insurance Program and the five federally qualified health centers in my congressional district. They provide medical, dental, and mental health services to almost 55,000 of my constituents every year. Reauthorizing these historically bipartisan programs is critical to the health and safety of not only my constituents but millions of others across our country. Today, the Republican majority is holding them hostage by insisting to fund these programs by means-testing Medicare beneficiaries, kicking individuals who purchase their health coverage on the marketplaces off their insurance, and gutting the Public Health Prevention Fund established in the Affordable Care Act. Remember, the Republicans have set their budget based on eliminating the Affordable Care Act. My State of California will run out of funding for CHIP sometime between now and December. This has never happened before in the history of this program. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.”