Rep Carson Testimony for House Rules Committee in Support of Carson Amendments
Madam Chair and Ranking Member, thank you for providing me time to testify this morning. I have 4 amendments to this Reconciliation bill.
My amendments protect Medicaid, passenger rail, our environment, and would help protect the middle class.
I first want to speak on Amendment #428 to conduct a comprehensive audit within 180 days to assess the impact of this bill on income inequality in our country. The GOP claims their tax policies will benefit the middle class. I say, prove it. Prove to the American people that the tax policies in this bill will help the middle class, not the ultra-wealthy.
Next, my amendment #168 addresses one of the most urgent, life-threatening issue with this bill – which is that this bill would slash healthcare for 14 million Americans. Just this afternoon, an Indianapolis woman named Joan contacted my office. She is about to turn 65, she is disabled, and she receives Medicaid to survive. She told me, “At 65 years old, I have no where else to go. I don’t want to lose my home and my healthcare.”
Yesterday evening, I spoke on the House floor about three women from my district in Indianapolis, Arica, Bethany, and Carol Ann, who rely on SNAP and Medicaid to survive.
These are just three of the thousands of people who have reached out to me in recent weeks. We receive messages from folks every day who are scared for themselves, but they’re also terrified for their children. Other people’s children. Their family members. Other people’s family members.
That’s because Indianapolis is a community that cares about each other. We look out for one another. It’s what we do, and it’s who we are. I have always been proud of my hometown, but I am even more proud hearing the groundswell of support, especially over the last week, from those in Indianapolis who have overwhelmingly told me: We must help our neighbors. We must protect Medicaid.
I am here today to fight for the people of Indianapolis, who deserve a government that stands with THEM, not billionaires.
This past week, our country has watched Members of Congress debate, essentially, who deserves to live and who deserves to die in our country. For 14 million Americans, healthcare and Medicaid cuts aren’t a political discussion. They are a matter of life and death. 14 million Americans would lose healthcare in this current bill. That includes children, newborns, seniors, and postpartum mothers. The most vulnerable among us.
We have also watched Republican Members of Congress deny that this budget will slash Medicaid. Even though a nonpartisan analysis found that the Republican budget simply would not be possible without cutting Medicaid and essential healthcare. And yet many of my colleagues still deny that this budget will drastically cut essential healthcare.
So, my message to my colleagues is, prove it. If you insist that your bill will not hurt Medicaid, if you insist this bill will not snatch healthcare out of the hands of 14 million men, women, and children, then prove it by passing my amendment.
My amendment would ensure none of the provisions of this bill will take effect if there is an increase in mortality rates due to reduced access to health care services, as a result of this bill.
If Republicans truly believe this bill is not taking money away from Medicaid to give tax breaks to billionaires, then they should have no problem passing my amendment. If Republicans believe that, at minimum, we should make sure this budget does not cause Americans to die, then they should have no problem passing my amendment.
I would like to close my remarks by reminding you again of Joan, Arica, Bethany, and Carol Ann in Indianapolis. I implore you to remember their humanity. 14 million people who stand to lose their healthcare are relying on you to do the right thing. Protect Medicaid. Protect healthcare. Protect our children.
I yield back the balance of my time.