Watch the full speech HERE.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) delivered a floor speech highlighting her visits to multiple medical care centers in Nevada and her conversations with health care leaders about the devastating impacts of Washington Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid. In August, Senator Rosen visited health care centers in Lovelock, Reno, and Las Vegas where she heard first-hand how they’re being hurt by the steep cuts in Medicaid funding.
Transcript of Senator Rosen’s speech:
Last month, I traveled up and down my state to speak directly with Nevadans about how Washington Republicans’ devastating cuts to Medicaid will 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 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.
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 of the only Level One 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’ll make patients less likely to seek preventative health care – often waiting until it’s too late.
This will strain our hospitals’ resources even more and could have terrible consequences for families.
It was a similar story in Reno, where I visited Northern Nevada HOPES, a nonprofit community health center that serves families in need.
The staff painted a harrowing picture: when Medicaid is cut and people don’t have access to health insurance, they delay care, minor conditions become severe, emergency rooms overflow, and the financial and human cost escalates.
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 most.”
M. President, these are not abstract worries. They reflect real fear and urgent concern from families, medical staff, and local leaders.
And what’s worse: these stories aren’t unique to Nevada. This looming crisis is going to hurt communities all across the country.
Republicans, time after time, put politics and tax cuts for billionaires over people’s health.
Make no mistake, people will die because of these Republican cuts – It doesn’t have to be this way.
I’ve joined my Democratic colleagues in helping to introduce a bill to overturn the cruel Republican Medicaid cuts and protect Nevadans’ access to health care.
Our hospitals and community clinics – the people on the frontlines of our health care system – they are sounding a wake-up call. It is not just their fight. It is our fight.
Now, let’s pass that bill and repeal the damage being made to our health care system before it’s too late.
The health of Nevada families is on the line.
Senator Rosen has strongly opposed Washington Republicans’ extreme budget law that cuts Medicaid to give more tax breaks to billionaires. In July, she condemned the Senate Republicans’ passage of the extreme so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” and she spoke on the Senate floor to oppose this dangerous legislation, warning of its devastating impact on access to health care in Nevada and across the nation. In August, she helped introduce legislation to overturn the Medicaid cuts that are taking away care from millions of Americans.
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