Floor SpeechUrgent2025-05-20

REPUBLICAN BUDGET BILL

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Context

On 2025-05-20, Representative Julie Johnson (D-TX-32) delivered a floor speech titled "REPUBLICAN BUDGET BILL" in the House.

Full Text

REPUBLICAN BUDGET BILL

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025)] [House] [Page H2150] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REPUBLICAN BUDGET BILL (Ms. Johnson of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in complete outrage, not just in opposition, to this Republican budget bill. Behind the talking points, behind the smug press conferences, very deep in the fine print, it is all there. Mr. Speaker, 13.7 million Americans will lose their healthcare, and millions of families will see their food assistance taken away. That is not my opinion. Those are the numbers from the Congressional Budget Office. Republicans tell you: Don't worry. No one is losing coverage. We are not cutting SNAP. Understand they are lying to you, and they know it. This bill is so shameful that they are moving forward at 1 a.m. in the morning, tonight, in the dead of night. Why? They are doing that because they hope we are asleep. They don't want us paying attention. They don't want us to know what they are, in fact, truly doing. They hope we are not watching, and they hope no one notices until it is too late. Texans are paying attention, and I am here to sound the alarm on this outrageous bill. In Texas, over 5 million people depend on Medicaid. They are children with disabilities, working moms, and aging parents in nursing homes. These cuts will lead to fewer doctors, longer wait times, and hospitals closing. Yes, people will die because they can't get the care that they need. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you about Stephanie, a mom from Richardson, Texas. Her son was born with spina bifida. His entire life depends on the care they get through an emergency Medicaid waiver. This is his equipment, his treatment, and his survival. Republicans in this Chamber will take that care away from Stephanie's 11-year-old son. For what? Why are we doing this? Why are we causing so much pain across so many families in this country who depend on support for basic needs? It is so that Trump and his friends can have a huge tax cut. The other thing that is deeply concerning is we have an incredibly large deficit, and all the Republicans peacock around, parading about how atrocious the deficit is. This bill is going to add $4 trillion to the deficit. It is not conservative. It is not principally, financially prudent, responsible legislation. It is outrageous and borderline criminal against the people of this country. Let's talk about food assistance. Mr. Speaker, one in seven Texans rely on SNAP at a time when Trump's tariffs have made groceries more expensive than ever. Republicans want to take food off the tables of families who are just trying to get by. This isn't about fiscal responsibility. It is about cruelty. It is about choosing hedge fund managers and people like Elon Musk over hungry kids. Budgets are moral documents, and this one being put up by House Republicans is morally bankrupt. I will not vote for a bill that abandons families like Stephanie's and lets kids go hungry or that sells out our most vulnerable neighbors just to pay for another tax break for those who definitely do not need one. Mr. Speaker, if you are a Member of this body who claims to care about life, liberty, or your own constituents, you should not vote for it either. If you show me your budget, I will show you your values. Republicans have made their values crystal clear. They value a handful of wealthy people in this country over the millions of hardworking families who depend on the United States Government. ____________________

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REPUBLICAN BUDGET BILL Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025)] [House] [Page H2150] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REPUBLICAN BUDGET BILL (Ms. Johnson of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in complete outrage, not just in opposition, to this Republican budget bill. Behind the talking points, behind the smug press conferences, very deep in the fine print, it is all there. Mr. Speaker, 13.7 million Americans will lose their healthcare, and millions of families will see their food assistance taken away. That is not my opinion. Those are the numbers from the Congressional Budget Office. Republicans tell you: Don't worry. No one is losing coverage. We are not cutting SNAP. Understand they are lying to you, and they know it. This bill is so shameful that they are moving forward at 1 a.m. in the morning, tonight, in the dead of night. Why? They are doing that because they hope we are asleep. They don't want us paying attention. They don't want us to know what they are, in fact, truly doing. They hope we are not watching, and they hope no one notices until it is too late. Texans are paying attention, and I am here to sound the alarm on this outrageous bill. In Texas, over 5 million people depend on Medicaid. They are children with disabilities, working moms, and aging parents in nursing homes. These cuts will lead to fewer doctors, longer wait times, and hospitals closing. Yes, people will die because they can't get the care that they need. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you about Stephanie, a mom from Richardson, Texas. Her son was born with spina bifida. His entire life depends on the care they get through an emergency Medicaid waiver. This is his equipment, his treatment, and his survival. Republicans in this Chamber will take that care away from Stephanie's 11-year-old son. For what? Why are we doing this? Why are we causing so much pain across so many families in this country who depend on support for basic needs? It is so that Trump and his friends can have a huge tax cut. The other thing that is deeply concerning is we have an incredibly large deficit, and all the Republicans peacock around, parading about how atrocious the deficit is. This bill is going to add $4 trillion to the deficit. It is not conservative. It is not principally, financially prudent, responsible legislation. It is outrageous and borderline criminal against the people of this country. Let's talk about food assistance. Mr. Speaker, one in seven Texans rely on SNAP at a time when Trump's tariffs have made groceries more expensive than ever. Republicans want to take food off the tables of families who are just trying to get by. This isn't about fiscal responsibility. It is about cruelty. It is about choosing hedge fund managers and people like Elon Musk over hungry kids. Budgets are moral documents, and this one being put up by House Republicans is morally bankrupt. I will not vote for a bill that abandons families like Stephanie's and lets kids go hungry or that sells out our most vulnerable neighbors just to pay for another tax break for those who definitely do not need one. Mr. Speaker, if you are a Member of this body who claims to care about life, liberty, or your own constituents, you should not vote for it either. If you show me your budget, I will show you your values. Republicans have made their values crystal clear. They value a handful of wealthy people in this country over the millions of hardworking families who depend on the United States Government. ____________________