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Floor Speech

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Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, last month I traveled up and down my State to speak directly with Nevadans about how Washington Republicans and their devastating cuts to Medicaid are going to hurt our communities.

From the University Medical Center in Las Vegas to Northern Nevada HOPES in Reno, I heard firsthand from medical providers about how worried they are about the cuts being made to their funding by the Republican budget law.

According to a report, Nevada hospitals are set to lose up to a half a billion dollars from the Republican Big Beautiful Bill. At a time when our State is already facing a dire shortage of doctors and nurses, we are going to lose up to a half a billion dollars because of Washington Republicans' irresponsible bill.

And remember, Washington Republicans did this so they could pay for even more tax breaks for billionaires.

In Las Vegas, I met with doctors and leaders at the only level 1 trauma center in the entire State of Nevada.

Our conversation made it clear: These Medicaid cuts will be devastating for the hospital's finances, and they will make patients less likely to seek preventative care, often waiting until it is too late.

This will strain our hospital's resources even more and could have terrible consequences for individuals and their families.

There is a similar story in Reno where I visited the Northern Nevada HOPES, a nonprofit community hospital center that serves families in need. The staff there painted a harrowing picture. When Medicaid is cut and people don't have access to health insurance, what do they do? They delay care. Minor conditions become severe. Emergency rooms overflow, and the financial and human cost escalates.

And as their CEO Sharon Chamberlain said:

This is not a budget issue. It's a public health emergency. And let's be clear: No amount of innovation, no amount of efficiency can fully offset the damage caused by policies that strip coverage of those that need it the most.

These are not abstract worries. They reflect real fear and an urgent concern from families, medical staff, and local leaders. And what is worse, these stories aren't unique to Nevada. The looming crisis is going to hurt communities all across this country.

Republicans, time after time, put politics and tax cuts for billionaires over people's health, over communities' health. And make no mistake, people will die because of the Republican cuts. And it really doesn't have to be this way.

I have joined my Democratic colleagues in helping to introduce a bill to overturn the cruel Republican Medicaid cuts and protect Nevadans, Nevada's families, Nevada's children, everyone--to protect their access to healthcare.

Our hospitals and community clinics, the people on the frontlines of our healthcare system, they work so hard, they care so much, and they are sounding the wake-up call. It is not just their fight; it is our fight.

So let's pass this bill and repeal the damage being done to our healthcare systems before it is too late.

The health of Nevada families is on the line. The time to act is now.

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