Tammy Baldwin: “my amendment is straightforward. It would prevent any cuts to Medicaid that could lead to rural hospital closures. When…”

“my amendment is straightforward. It would prevent any cuts to Medicaid that could lead to rural hospital closures. When I travel around rural Wisconsin, the No. 1 challenge that I hear about is access to healthcare. We absolutely must make it easier to get healthcare for these folks, not take away their lifeline by cutting Medicaid. Make no mistake, these drastic cuts to Medicaid will force rural hospitals and clinics to close. That means no regular checkups for children, no prenatal care for expectant mothers, no timely emergency care after stroke or heart attack. The choice here is simple: Do you really believe that rural hospitals should close so that Donald Trump can give big corporations and the wealthiest a tax break? I certainly don't. But that is what this budget from Senate Republicans is setting us up for. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect access to healthcare for all rural Americans. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired. The Senator from Idaho.”