Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to H.R. One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. KENNEDY of Utah. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here and speak in favor of the rule for the big, beautiful bill.

As a provider of healthcare myself, as a doctor, and as a recipient of Medicaid services--my first three children were born on Medicaid--in addition to the fact that as a child, I was receiving food assistance not only from free school lunch programs but church programs, recognizing the vital need associated with Medicaid as well as with these food programs, we need to rightsize these programs.

Mr. Speaker, if we don't take a different trajectory, these programs will collapse under the economic failures of prior administrations. The reality behind this is, this bill that we are discussing today is insisting on work requirements associated with the recipients of Medicaid.

If you are an able-bodied, working adult, you should be able to go out and find a job. If you can't find a job, you need to go to a training program and try to find training so that you can get a job and ultimately get off Medicaid.

One of the components about Medicaid, we all know, is that it was formed in favor of pregnant women, disabled people, as well as the elderly. What the Republicans are trying to do is rightsize the Medicaid program so that it survives for the long-term, vital needs of the people of the future.

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