Political Quotes

“Senator Portman's amendment touches upon a serious issue that I hope and expect will have broad bipartisan support, and that is the needs of children with serious chronic conditions. In the United States, over 3 million children have medically complex health conditions. Of those 3 million kids, 2 million rely on Medicaid for their health insurance. That is two out of three kids, which should tell every Member of the Senate how important Medicaid is. Let me repeat. Two out of three children rely on Medicaid. They have medically complex issues--the issues Senator Portman is speaking about. Last Congress, Senator Nelson offered a similar amendment during the budget process to address this important issue, and I was pleased to support it. I also plan to support this amendment today and hope that we have widespread bipartisan support for it. But what I must say is that given that the Republican budget eliminates the Affordable Care Act, which throws 15 million Americans off of health insurance--many of whom have just, for the first time in their lives, received health insurance--and given that the Republican budget cuts Medicaid by some $400 billion over a 10-year period, the amendment Senator Portman is offering deals with only one tiny and small part of what the Republican budget is doing. What the Republican budget is doing is decimating health care in the United States of America.…”