Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) released the following statement after Senate Republicans passed their reconciliation bill. Senator Blunt Rochester voted NO on the bill.
“The Republican majority in the Senate has just voted to take healthcare away from millions, rip food assistance away from families, and make life more expensive for working class Americans. The level of devastation this reconciliation bill will cause cannot be understated. And despite their claims to prioritize ‘fiscal responsibility,’ this bill will balloon the federal debt and deficit. That is the opposite of government efficiency.
“Hundreds of constituents have called and written into my office to illustrate how harmful this bill could be to them. My colleagues across the aisle should be reminded that, with costs still sky high, millions of people across the country count on the things they are stripping away — like fully stocked food banks and health care coverage through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
“Over the last 24 hours, Senate Democrats have put forward amendments to try to ease the burden this bill would place on working families. My amendment, which would have protected Medicaid funding for maternal health care, was among them and was voted down by all but one Republican. Unfortunately, their desire to further enrich billionaires at the expense of everyone else is blatantly illustrated by the passage of this bill.
“I voted no on this bill on behalf of every single Delawarean who told me their story and asked me to protect what they rely on. I voted for the parents working two jobs who rely on food assistance to feed their family, for the seniors that rely on the ACA, for hard-working families that want a good paying job, a low energy bill, and even lower grocery costs. I voted on behalf of a constituent who told me that me that if we ‘pulled on the thread of Medicaid, his whole life would unravel.’ When the time comes, Senate Democrats will be ready to repair the damage, rebuild our communities, and reestablish trust in Congress’ ability to govern on behalf of the people.”
Impact on Delaware
The Republican cuts to SNAP and Medicaid specifically will have a significant impact on Delawareans. An estimated 37,000 Delawareans are at risk of losing some or all of their SNAP benefits. To a state of one million people, these numbers are devasting and will harm countless communities. This is anticipated to increase the burden of SNAP costs to the state by $50 to $80 million over 10 years.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found in a June 27th analysis that President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would result in 17 million people losing their health insurance by 2034. An estimated 54,957 Delawareans are expected to lose health care coverage if the bill is signed by the President.
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.