Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Senate's amendment to H.R. 5371 because, once again, the Senate has put other interests ahead of those of the American people.

Today's backroom deal does nothing to stop 20 million Americans who will see their healthcare premiums double or triple. It does absolutely nothing to stop provisions in the reconciliation package that will strip 15 million people of their Medicaid coverage.

These cuts will have a resounding impact on individuals and the healthcare industry and economy as a whole. Safety net hospitals like Montefiore in my district and federally funded clinics like Boriken in East Harlem face having to eliminate services or completely close.

Families, seniors, and children who go to these clinics and hospitals cannot afford to lose healthcare coverage.

On top of that, Mr. Speaker, the Legislative Branch bill was done unilaterally, not with a consultation of both sides. It was done on its own in the Senate, in the dark, in cahoots with a bunch of people. It includes a provision that will line the pockets of eight Senators that we know of by allowing them to sue the government for millions of dollars if the Department of Justice subpoenas their phone records or seeks a lawful nondisclosure order.

While families in my district are stretching every single dollar just to pay for food and rent, Senators want to get a personal payout if law enforcement dares to hold them accountable.

At every turn of this shutdown and fight for healthcare access, Republicans and the Trump administration have tried to inflict suffering as much as possible.

For weeks, the administration held food stamps hostage, and even when some States complied with a court ruling to release full benefits, the President demanded that they be clawed back. Even when Governors stepped up and said they don't want people to go hungry, the administration ran to court, Mr. Speaker, to take $6.20 away from poor people. Who does that? Explain that to me. Who takes $6.20 away from a single mom or a hungry senior?

That is the state of America today. It is unbelievable, and here we are to vote on this. I will be casting my vote as a ``no.'' In fact, it will be a ``hell no'' tonight.

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