Unicorn In a corn call call Senate Center is is in in a a court court asked asked efficient efficient corn corn without without objection objection thank thank you you Mr Mr President President Mr Mr President President I I rise rise to to defend defend the the essential essential health health care care the the 300000 300000 new new mexicans mexicans and and millions millions of of Americans Americans depend depend on on leader leader mcconnell mcconnell calls calls his his trump trump care care bill bill the the better better care care reconciliation reconciliation that that but but actually actually the the bill bill will will mean mean worse worse care care for for seniors seniors children children the the disabled disabled world world communities communities and and working working families families all all trying trying to to make make ends ends me me and and it it will will me me no no care care for for 22 million 22 million people people according according to to the the latest latest congressional congressional budget budget office office report report the the bill bill cancels cancels health health insurance insurance and and slashes slashes medicaid medicaid funding funding also also Republicans Republicans can can give give big big tax tax breaks breaks to to the the richest richest Americans Americans President President trump trump call call the the original original House House bill bill mean mean the the Senate Senate Republicans Republicans health health care care bill bill isn't isn't just just me me it's it's cruel cruel it's it's cruel cruel to to take take away away noticing noticing home home care care but but seniors seniors depend depend on on cruel cruel to to take take away away necessary necessary medical medical services services from from disabled disabled children children make make no no mistake mistake this this bill bill will will cost cost lives lives this this version version of of trump trump care care is is a a massive massive redistribution redistribution of of wealth wealth from from working working families families seniors seniors and and the the disabled disabled to to the the wealthy wealthy let's let's Republicans Republicans bills bills not not just just robin robin hood hood in in reverse reverse trump trump care care doesn't doesn't just just take take away away money money from from the the poor poor to to give give to to the the rich rich it it takes takes away away people's people's healthcare health care and and robs robs families families of of their their health health and and their their ability ability to to work work care care for for their their families families contribute contribute to to society society and and lead lead happy happy and and healthy healthy lives lives mister mister President President this this bill bill was was drafted drafted in in secret secret only only a a hand hand full full of of Republicans Republicans and and their their lobbyist lobbyist friends friends got got to to see see the the bill bill and and it's it's no no wonder wonder the the American American people people hate hate what what trump trump would would do do to to them them and and to to their their families families trump trump care care is is cruel cruel there there is is no no doubt doubt about about it it it's it's good good the the leader leader mcconnell mcconnell decided decided not not to to call call a a vote vote this this week week on on this this terrible terrible bill bill but but I I am am by by no no means means satisfied satisfied we we need need to to hear hear from from the the Republican Republican leadership leadership that that they're they're ready ready to to work work with with Democrats Democrats to to improve improve the the affordable affordable care care act act not not got got it it and and to to truly truly improve improve our our health health care care system system this this is is what what the the American American people people are are demanding demanding and and and and this this is is what what we we in in Congress Congress should should be be working working tour tour on on a a bipartisan bipartisan basis basis we we created created medicaid medicaid in in 19 65 19 65 to to serve serve a a critical critical need need since since then then medicaid medicaid has has become become one one of of the the most most successful successful programs programs for for making making sure sure lower lower income income people people get get the the health health care care they they need need people people get get treatment treatment for for illnesses illnesses that that once once were we're a a death death sends sends the the American American people people support support the the government government that that doesn't doesn't leave leave it's its most most vulnerable vulnerable to to suffer suffer and and die die but but the the current current Senate Senate bill bill cuts cuts medicaid medicaid by by more more than than 700 700 and and 70 70 billion billion dollars dollars and and let's let's be be clear clear these these cuts cuts have have nothing nothing to to do do with with better better health health care care there they are are ruthless ruthless tactic tactic to to fund fund tax tax cuts cuts for for the the wealthy wealthy on on the the campaign campaign trail trail the the President President vowed vowed not not to to cut cut medicaid medicaid seven seven the the number number of of times times last last week week he he tweeted tweeted he he is is quote quote very very supportive supportive of of the the bill bill and and yesterday yesterday he he met met with with the the Republican Republican caucus caucus and and told told them them to to pass pass the the bill bill by by supporting supporting this this bill bill the the President President breaks breaks his his promise promise he he made made during during the the campaign campaign medicaid medicaid expansion expansion has has allowed allowed millions millions of of Americans Americans in and over over 200 200 and and 65000 65000 people people in in my my state state to to see see a a doctor doctor many many of of these these folks folks work work but but don't don't have have health health insurance insurance through through their their jobs jobs or or can can afford afford private private health health insurance insurance medicaid medicaid expansion expansion is is literally literally a a lifeline lifeline but but trump trump care care watch watch this this sound sound I I can't can't believe believe that that our our Republican Republican friends friends are are doing doing this this to to new new Mexico Mexico children children and and families families take take one one and and a a half half year year old old race race this this is is race race race race is is here here with with his his mom mom jessica jessica and and his his dad dad Sam Sam veteran veteran there they're from from albuquerque albuquerque new new Mexico Mexico rafe rafe was was born born with with cortical cortical visual visual impairment impairment a a kind kind of of legal legal blindness blindness and and significant significant develop develop mental mental just just slight light delays delays he he face face monumental monumental medical medical challenges challenges but but jessica jessica and and Sam Sam have have been been able able to to access access intensive intensive care care medical medical care care early early intervention intervention services services medical medical equipment equipment and and therapy therapy she she needs needs through through a a combination combination of of their their military military insurance insurance and and medicaid medicaid and and now now rey's rey's parents parents are are scared scared he he will will lose lose his his medicaid medicaid services services their their military military insurance insurance along along doesn't doesn't cover cover all all the the services services and and equipment equipment race race needs needs they they need need medicaid medicaid without without a a grace grace chances chances for for a a better better life life or or threaten threaten they they worry worry about about and and this this is is their their quote quote dealing dealing with with insurance insurance finding finding healthcare healthcare tracking tracking down down specialty specialty doctors doctors keeping keeping up up with with therapy therapy appointments appointments and and doctors doctors appointments appointments if if they they worried worried whether whether race race we'll we'll be be able able to to walk walk feed feed himself himself graduate graduate from from high high school school and and get get a a job job now now they they must must worry worry whether whether he he will will gift gift the the medical medical care care he he needs needs to to give give him him the the opportunity opportunity to to do do all all of of those those things things or or let's let's talk talk here here about about karma karma and and her her three three children children carman carman is is a a single single parent parent she she served served native native American American students students as as a a teacher teacher coach coach dorm dorm parent parent and and higher higher education education administrator administrator the the small small non non profit profit Organization Organization carman carman works works for for doesn't doesn't offer offer health health insurance insurance for for the the past past four four years years medicaid medicaid his his help help pay pay for for the the health health care care for for her her two two sons sons and and her her kids kids are are healthy healthy but but to to have have not not allergies allergies and and need need pants pants at at school school and and at at home home according according to to carman carman for for when when I I renewed renewed their their fb fb pen pen prescription prescription for for school school this this past past fall fall I I was was astounded astounded that that the the price price skyrocketed skyrocketed to to 700 700 and and 41 41 dollars dollars to to fill fill one one prescription prescription and and now now carmine carmine is is worried worried she she doesn't doesn't know know whether whether your your kids kids will will lose lose medicaid medicaid or or how how she she will will pay pay for for prescriptions prescriptions she she ask ask me me and and this this is is her her quote quote she she said said to to me me please please continue continue to to fight fight for for the the affordable affordable care care act act because because you you are are finding finding for for me me and and my my family's family's well-being well-being it's it's cruel cruel to to threaten threaten rates rates chances chances for for a a healthier healthier life life cruel cruel the the carman carman might might not not be be able able to to pay pay for for every every pens pens for for her her kids kids trump trump care care threatens threatens these these two two families families and and millions millions more more mister mister President President trump trump care care will will hurt hurt seniors seniors so so it's it's not not surprising surprising that that a a aarp aarp aarp aarp strongly strongly opposes opposes it it our our proposes proposes the the trump trump care care age age tax tax that that allows allows insurance insurance companies companies to to charge charge seniors seniors up up to to five five times times more more for for their their premiums premiums the the age age tax tax combined combined with with reducing reducing tax tax credits credits for for premiums premiums will will price price seniors seniors out out of of health health insurance insurance needed needed to to supplement supplement their their Medicare Medicare aarp aarp is is calling calling on on every every senator senator to to vote vote no no on on the the Senate Senate Republicans Republicans bill bill medicaid medicaid pays pays for for an an astounding astounding 62 62 percent percent of of all all nursing nursing home home care care by by cutting cutting medicaid medicaid the the Republicans Republicans threaten threaten our our mothers mothers our our fathers fathers our our Grand Grand mothers mothers Grand Grand fathers fathers in in nursing nursing homes homes States States camp camp bear bear the the burden burden of of these these cost cost Republicans Republicans want want to to ship ship them them I I know know the the state state of of new new Mexico Mexico can't can't handle handle this this this this cost cost shift shift set set States States up up to to cut cut reimbursement reimbursement rates rates and and reduce reduce their their eligibility eligibility for for services services and and nursing nursing homes homes medicaid medicaid pay pay 64 64 percent percent of of nursing nursing home home care care in in my my state state new new Mexico Mexico 74 74 nursing nursing homes homes will will be be impacted impacted by by these these cuts cuts many many of of the the folks folks in in nursing nursing homes homes are are Middle Middle class class Americans Americans who who worked worked all all their their lives lives paid paid taxes taxes and and save save for for retirement retirement they they did did everything everything right right but but because because skilled skilled nursing nursing care care is is so so expensive expensive they they have have out out lived lived their their life life savings savings and and now now medicaid medicaid pays pays the the cost cost of of care care at at the the end end of of their their lives lives allowing allowing them them to to live live with with dignity dignity mister mister President President Senate Senate Republicans Republicans may may say say that that one one improvement improvement in in their their bill bill over over the the House House bill bill is is it it protects protects people people with with preexisting preexisting conditions conditions but but the the American American people people shouldn't shouldn't be be fooled fooled people people with with preexisting preexisting conditions conditions are are not not protected protected under under the the Senate Senate bill bill the the way way they they are are now now protected protected under under the the the the Senate Senate Republican Republican bill bill still still allow allow States States to to waive waive the the essential essential health health care care benefits benefits that that all all insurance insurance companies companies must must now now provide provide under under the the these these benefits benefits include include prescriptions prescriptions hospital hospital stays stays rehabilitated rehabilitated services services and and laboratory laboratory services services if if States States way way these these benefits benefits people people was was serious serious illnesses illnesses would would have have to to pay pay out out of of pocket pocket for for these these services services or or buy buy additional additional insurance insurance or or of of these these services services are are covered covered but but are are not not essential essential health health benefits benefits insurance insurance companies companies can can put put annual annual or or lifetime lifetime limits limits on on the the services services and and people people with with serious serious illnesses illnesses could could end end up up with with no no coverage coverage or or be be priced priced out out of of services services all all this this senses senses back back to to the the time time when when people people faced faced not not getting getting care care or or going going bankrupt bankrupt if if they they got got sick sick we we pass pass the the because because the the American American people people agreed agreed no no one one should should go go broke broke to to pay pay for for life life saving saving care care and and that that and and that that insurance insurance company company shouldn't shouldn't be be able able to to pack pack place place limits limits on on cares cares someone someone could could get get in in their their lifetime lifetime why why do do Republicans Republicans want want to to take take us us back back finally finally the the steep steep cuts cuts to to medicaid medicaid would would devastate devastate hospitals hospitals and and especially especially world world hospitals hospitals make make no no mistake mistake world world hospitals hospitals are are already already struggling struggling medicaid medicaid cuts cuts will will force force some some to to close close their their doors doors if if trump trump care care becomes becomes law law in in new new Mexico Mexico our our world world hospitals hospitals are are often often an an economic economic anchor anchor for for the the community community hospital hospital administrators administrators in in my my state state are are very very worry worry medicaid medicaid is is help help the the guadalupe guadalupe a a County County hospital hospital cuts cuts on on insured insured pair pair right right from from 14 14 percent percent to to four four percent percent from from two thousand 20 14 two thousand 20 14 to to 20 16 20 16 and and it's it's on on compensated compensated care care decreased decreased 23 23 percent percent in in the the same same period period the the hospitals hospitals administrator administrator cristina cristina campos campos fears fears what what might might happen happen if if trump trump care care becomes becomes law law she she she she is is urging urging me me to to protect protect access access to to care care and and rural rural areas areas I I will will fight fight hard hard to to keep keep residents residents and and our our world world is is insured insured and and to to keep keep hospitals hospitals in in new new Mexico Mexico and and across across the the nation nation open open the the President President and and congressional congressional Republicans Republicans want want to to take take us us back back to to the the days days when when health health care care was was a a privilege privilege for for those those who who could could afford afford it it the the American American people people do do not not support support the the Republicans Republicans cruel cruel plans plans Congress Congress should should listen listen to to the the pleas pleas of of our our constituents constituents the the American American people people reject reject the the framework framework of of trump trump care care they they reject reject getting getting medicaid medicaid and and the the medicaid medicaid expansion expansion they they reject reject making making seniors seniors pay pay more more for for healthcare healthcare they they reject reject making making health health care care accessible accessible for for those those with with fewer fewer resources resources Republicans need to go back to the drawing board and begin to work with Democrats I say to my colleagues across the aisle do not take healthcare and the opportunity to lead a productive and happy life away from millions of Americans together we can make a Ford of health care a reality for all Mr President I feel the floor mister President the senator from North dakota mister President