Henry Waxman: “this budget resolution is an outrage. If it were not for the seriousness of the subject, this proposal would be…”

“this budget resolution is an outrage. If it were not for the seriousness of the subject, this proposal would be laughable. Surely no responsible legislator on either side of the aisle can vote for this resolution. Let's look at just one of the worst things this budget proposes to do: destroy the Medicaid program and cripple the child health program written with such fanfare only last year. This budget slashes those programs by $12 billion dollars over the next five years. That's actually $2 billion more than the Balanced Budget Act took from Medicaid. And every one of the Members in this House--certainly every one on the Commerce Committee--remembers how difficult and painful those cuts were. Now this budget says let's do it again. How do they think that can be accomplished? Well, the May 12 document suggested block granting the acute care part of the program; that's the code word for taking away the entitlement to services that elderly and disabled people, pregnant women and kids, rely on to get decent medical care and nursing home services. And nobody should be fooled into thinking the long term care part of the program would be spared. The actual budget proposal takes more than twice as much money out of Medicaid as the May 12 document assumed--so it is obvious that all the protections in all parts of the program-- including nursing home care--are on the chopping block. Some people must have some pretty short memories around here.…”