Jerry Nadler: “I thank Mr. Garcia and Mr. Neguse for organizing this Special Order hour about President Trump's budget request for next…”

“I thank Mr. Garcia and Mr. Neguse for organizing this Special Order hour about President Trump's budget request for next year. The one saving grace of the President's budget is how clearly it demonstrates the failed policies and misplaced priorities of the White House and the Republican Congress. While proposing a massive increase in defense spending to support a reckless war of choice in Iran and supporting numerous policies to protect the billionaire class, the Trump budget would slash programs that provide healthcare, education, and housing to working Americans and would do nothing to lower gas prices or make groceries more affordable. While there are too many outrages contained in this budget to mention all of them, I want to focus on one program in particular that highlights the senseless cruelty represented by this budget: the President would completely eliminate support for the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS, or HOPWA, program. HOPWA provides critical housing support to hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families across the country. Housing is one of the greatest needs for those living with HIV/AIDS, and it is among the strongest predictors of access to treatment and health outcomes. Unstable housing or homelessness is linked to late or limited access to care, higher viral loads, increased hospitalizations, and premature death.”