During a Senate Democratic Leadership press briefing on Tuesday, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) spoke about Republicans' proposed cuts to healthcare.
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00:00Thank you. Just on that plane, Senator Schumer, he's kind of an old-fashioned guy.
00:06He puts, like, national security ahead of presidential traveling comfort.
00:12Shocking.
00:14You know, we're at crunch time here, and there's a lot of suffering and anxiety throughout the country,
00:21especially folks who are struggling week to week, month to month to pay their bills.
00:26And we're at a moment where that suffering is going to be intensified by a law that Congress is considering.
00:40Folks need health care.
00:43And folks need it in red states, and they need it in blue states.
00:48Folks need health care, whether they voted for Trump or they voted for Harris.
00:53They need it for the kids.
00:54They need it for their older parents.
00:58And we are on the cusp of voting on a bill that makes it legal to boot seniors out of nursing homes.
01:12That makes it legal to deny disabled kids Medicaid.
01:18That makes it legal to move to a different topic, to take $2 for a meal that's provided by SNAP off the table.
01:30This is what we're actually considering, to make it legal to take away health care for kids and for seniors.
01:38That is so outrageous.
01:40And why is it?
01:41It's not because my Republican colleagues don't want their folks that they represent to have access to health care.
01:47They're intimidated by Trump.
01:48This is totally outrageous that we even have to have a discussion about taking away health care, not to mention all the consequences, the insecurity, the suffering.
01:59And then in rural America, where we depend on those hospitals, they won't be able to operate when we take away Medicaid.
02:09They won't be able to operate.
02:11You know what will happen?
02:12They'll work hard.
02:13And that will be in red states and blue states.
02:15And they'll keep providing services, even when it's free, until they can't anymore.
02:18And it's an absolute disgrace that this Congress is even having a discussion about taking away health care from children, from seniors, from disabled people.
02:30We don't need to do it.
02:31And then the version of fiscal responsibility that the Republicans have to pay for this tax cut that largely goes to billionaires and to very wealthy people.
02:43And, by the way, in Vermont, when I walk around, people are not saying, Peter, where's my tax cut?
02:49They're saying, what's happening to my health care?
02:51They're saying, what's happening to my ability to feed my kids?
02:54That's what they're asking me, not about this health care.
02:57The version of fiscal responsibility is to pay for it by taking away health care, by taking away food stamps, by taking away meals on wheels.
03:05No is the answer.
03:07Thank you, Peter.
03:08Thank you, Peter.