Healthcare and Affordability

Floor Speech

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Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I began this week in my district at Penn State Abington's new Collegiate Recovery Program with students in recovery for drug or alcohol addiction or who have been affected by others with addiction.

It is a place for students to be in community with each other and with professors and experts in addiction and recovery. How I wish every school and every family would have such an opportunity.

What are we doing here in D.C.? The President and Republicans in Congress are ripping the hope of recovery away for so many, slashing and shuttering SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Their big, beautiful bill gutted nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid. In my State, 100,000 people through Medicaid have access to treatment and to recovery. That is in jeopardy.

In 19 days, ACA tax credits will expire, spiking premiums overnight. Mr. Speaker, 30,000 Pennsylvanians have already dropped coverage. By the end of January, it is estimated by my Governor that 150,000 will be without insurance.

The students I met with are so young. They have people and resources on their side. I have such hope for them. We should want the same for everyone.

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