Nancy Pelosi (00:00):
Hi everyone. Let's hear it for Erin, DeMario and Anna [inaudible 00:00:19] for bringing us all together today. You are the power. We can do only so much. And I accept your compliment about the Affordable Care Act. But without the outside mobilization, it could not happen. So know the power of you. Right now we're at a place where we have so much to be proud of, so much to defend, as others try to sabotage it. But you know what? We're not going back. We're not going back. They say they want to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. We've always done that. We have oversight. We know what we're doing. Firing half the people at the Department of Education, that's not waste, fraud, and abuse, that's brutal. Remember this, we're here to talk about healthcare, but nothing brings more money to the National Treasury than the education of the American people. Early childhood, K-12, graduate school, post-grad, lifetime learning for our workers, that's what makes America strong. The aspirations of our children realize the greatness of our country. And yet they're cutting half the people and God knows what else next. But here's the plan. You were there in 2018.
Crowd (01:46):
I was. [inaudible 00:01:48].
Nancy Pelosi (01:48):
There you go. And you made it happen. They said they were going to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. In fact, that guy who's in the White House now said, "Obamacare sucks." Crude, as he is. But nonetheless, we said it doesn't suck. It cures. It cures. Now, Erin talked about so many of the things that are happening with healthcare and research and the rest. I just want to focus as I close… Not quite close, but almost close. And that is Medicaid. Medicaid, Medicaid, Medicaid. Many people think that Medicaid is just for poor children. That would be justification enough. That's our moral responsibility. That's what it has to do. But it's also a middle-class benefit for families that need home healthcare. 72 million people in America depend on Medicaid. And in addition to that, many of our veterans depend on Medicaid.
(03:12)
So our leadership under Hakeem Jeffries and Katherine Clark, next week, we will be having a day all over the country, one word, Medicaid, save our Medicaid. What they did in that bill that passed the House last night was disgraceful. It was harmful. It was deadly for some people. So understand this, and I'll say it again and again. We work very hard listening to you, deciding on priorities, writing language that serves the needs of the people. And we can only go so far. Without the outside mobilization we cannot succeed. Popular Democracy, thank you, thank you, thank you for having this. Popular Democracy. And then in addition to that, we have to do… And last time when you helped, we had 10,000 events around the country to save the Affordable Care Act. And you know what people did? They told their stories. It wasn't about provisions or politics. They told their stories. We have to have that again. So I hope you'll be participating in all of that. But our Democrats in the Congress are committed to the good health of the American people. Healthcare legislation is about not only their health, but their financial health so they don't go broke paying bills. So thank you for what you're doing, for being here. You brought some good weather. Now let's create a political climate in which we can succeed. Thank you all so much. Thank Erin, thank DeMario, thank [inaudible 00:05:03]. Thank each and every one of you. Are we ready?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
No cuts to Medicaid. No cuts to Medicaid. No cuts to Medicaid, no cuts to Medicaid, no cuts to Medicaid. No cuts to Medicaid. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much, Speaker Emerita. That woman, I am telling you, she is everything. She is. I want to be her when I grow up. Prior to her incident where she broke her hip, she did all of this in heels. Okay? Anybody that has worn heels before knows that that is quite a feat. So hats off, hats off.
(06:01)
So next is another sister resistor that needs no introduction from me. She is amazing and is one of the people that is consistently in our court. That's right. She speaks truth to power every damn day. Representative Jayapal.
Representative Jayapal (06:27):
Hello everybody. Are you ready to protect our healthcare? I want to say thank you to all of you for being out there. This is so powerful and this is a really important moment because we have seen over and over again that Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire and Donald Trump want the keys so they can strip your Medicaid, your Medicare, your social security. They are not even being quiet about it. Elon Musk just called Medicare and Social Security the, "big one that we need to eliminate." He called it entitlements. These are not entitlements. These are earned benefit programs, and Medicaid is absolutely essential for nursing homes. Just get this, 60% of babies born in Louisiana, Speaker Johnson's home state, those births are paid for by Medicaid.
(07:42)
So every one of these programs, the Affordable Care Act… And God bless Speaker Emerita Pelosi, for all of her work in protecting healthcare. We need the courage in the Senate that Democrats in the House had last night when we all voted almost unanimously to stop this budget Bill. We voted no. And Senate Democrats have the opportunity to do what Republicans have done over and over again in blocking the things that we want to do to expand social security, to expand Medicare, to expand Medicaid. They have filibustered over and over on us. We cannot give a blank check to Elon Musk and DOGE to continue their destruction of critical benefits and programs, critical healthcare, critical privacy rights, critical things that Americans across this country depend on. Senate Democrats need to hold the line and not pass this funding, because at the end of the day, we represent the people of America. We represent the people of America who deserve healthcare, who deserve their Medicare, their social security, their Medicaid.
(09:15)
And I want to tell you about one person, one of my constituents, Adele. Adele's daughter got sick with strep when she was four. Now, instead of all the usual symptoms, the strep went systemic and she was septic. Her entire body shut down within two days. Two days. She needed heart surgery, lung surgery, and kidney surgery, and she had less than a 5% chance of survival. Now, thankfully, her daughter survived this ordeal, and today she's in the seventh grade and she's been described by her teachers as the hardest worker they've ever seen. And guess why Adele's daughter is alive today? Medicaid. She's alive because of Medicaid. Now get this, Adele's original bill was for $1 million. $1 million. Medicaid retroactively covered that cost and the subsequent costs of the treatment. And so Adele wrote into my office and she said, quote, "Without Medicaid, I don't know where we would be or if she would be alive. I do know that without Medicaid, I would be forever financially destroyed."
(10:47)
I don't think, sadly, that this is a unique circumstance. How many of you have been in this situation where you haven't been able to afford your healthcare, where you have been saved by Medicaid or Medicare or Social Security, the Affordable Care Act, the things that government should be providing through universal healthcare? That's why I'm the lead sponsor of the Medicare for All bill, because I believe that healthcare is a human right, and I don't think that people should be profiting off of your pain and your illness. We should be ensuring that every single person in America has healthcare and that it is through a government-funded insurance program, not these private insurance companies that keep driving the costs up of your drugs and services.
(11:40)
So look, I want to tell you that the reason I really wanted to be here today, and thank you, is because we are in a terrible situation in this country where our very democracy is at stake. And around the country, democracies fall in matters of months, not years. And when you have a dictator, an authoritarian like Donald Trump and the shadow president, Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire trying to destroy our democracy, when they don't listen to Congress and the funds that we authorize and appropriate, when they don't listen to the courts and the decisions, then the only possible solution is the people in coordinated organizing, strategic organizing, taking to the streets, making your voices heard, making your stories heard, pushing back on dictators and authoritarians and billionaires who want to steal from you so they can get higher tax breaks for themselves.
(12:44)
So let me hear it. What do you say to higher tax breaks for billionaires? What do you say to protecting our healthcare? And are you ready to do what it takes to save our democracy and save our healthcare? Thank you, everybody. We've got a lot of work to do and I'm so glad that you're out here. Let's go get it done.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
I love that. I love how chants end. It's always awkward. Thank you, Representative Jayapal, a true champion for healthcare and basically for all of us. She's a champion for Americans, right? Let's give it up for Rep. Jayapal. One more time. We need to duplicate her. Triplicate her, quadruplicate her. All right. So we're going to keep it moving on this beautiful day. And next we have Alex McGill Johnson from Planned Parenthood, Action Fund President and CEO. She needs no other introduction.
Crowd (14:24):
Give it up for her shoe.
Alexis McGill Johnson (14:25):
Yes, thank you. They're a little pointy in case I've got to kick him in the… What's up, y'all? I'm Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. And I am so grateful. Thank you so much to all of our champions in Congress who are here fighting for our rights and all of you. If you came here to fight for freedom, make some noise. If you came here to fight for your healthcare, make some noise. If you came here because you want to tell all those other officials that you need to send a message that you want them to protect your healthcare, make some noise. They're right over there so you know they can hear us. Let's make sure, when I say save our, you say healthcare. Save our healthcare. Save our healthcare. Save our healthcare. Let me be clear.
(15:23)
We are here today only because billionaires and politicians that they paid for want to take away our healthcare insurance so that they can have more money. Today we are living in a public health crisis that was created by President Donald J. Trump. That's right. And now he and his homies in the Capitol want to make it worse because taking our right away to abortion wasn't enough. Now they're coming for our wellness exams, our pap smears, our birth control, our cancer screenings, our STI testing and our treatment. Make no mistake, this attack on Medicaid is about denying people the dignity of healthcare. And are we going to stand for it? It's an attack on the young mom who's working her way through school who needs access to health insurance, for the child who needs his annual checkup and vaccines, for the grandparents living in the nursing home. All of those folks who need access to basic healthcare. And that's why we're saying it louder for the billionaires in the back. All people deserve healthcare. Your tax breaks be damned. Let them hear you from the Hill to the White House. Save our healthcare. Save our healthcare. Save our healthcare.
(16:43)
Let me tell you, this fight is personal for me. Nearly one half of all Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid to get their care. Every year, nearly 600 Planned Parenthood health centers across the country open their doors to care for patients no matter what. Patients are coming in, looking for ways to prevent pregnancies, getting information about how to stay healthy and safe, receive life-saving cancer screenings. And yet, every day Medicaid and other programs ensure that they can be seen no matter who they are, no matter where they live. And no matter how much money they have, if our opponents get what they want, whether it is by defunding Medicaid or trying to defund Planned Parenthood, all of our care will be impacted. Health centers could close, communities will be harmed, and patients across the country will pay the cost.
(17:34)
And yet, our opponents persist. They have shown us their hand. They have always been playing for power and control at the expense of our bodies, our lives, and our futures. But we are going to save our healthcare. Save our healthcare. I keep thinking about the chaos and the confusion and the cruelty that must be the point of these fights. I mean, really, what must
Alexis McGill Johnson (18:00):
… they think of us. They don't respect us. They don't care about us, and we know they are not like us. That's right. They're not like us. They think that they can take away our care because they think that they don't need us, so just wait because we got something for them. Yes we do. We are going to flood those town halls. We are going to jam their phone lines. We are going to hold them accountable and we are going to remind them that the people did not vote for this. The people did not ask for this. They asked for cheaper eggs. They asked for affordable homes. And we know this movement has never ever backed down from a fight. And we are not going to start now, so let me hear you one more time. Save our-
Crowd (18:48):
Healthcare.
Alexis McGill Johnson (18:49):
Save our-
Crowd (18:49):
Healthcare.
Alexis McGill Johnson (18:49):
Save our-
Crowd (18:49):
Healthcare.
Alexis McGill Johnson (18:52):
I know you didn't wake up today to accept the status quo. I know you woke up today because you got fire in your belly. I know you woke up because you got justice in your soul. You got Vaseline on your cheeks and you are ready to fight. Because we're going to demand that our elected officials listen to us, that they protect Medicaid and that they save our-
Crowd (19:13):
Healthcare.
Alexis McGill Johnson (19:14):
Save our-
Crowd (19:14):
Healthcare.
Alexis McGill Johnson (19:14):
Save our-
Crowd (19:14):
Healthcare.
Alexis McGill Johnson (19:14):
Let's get it done.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Thank you so much. We appreciate it. All right. Thank you. I appreciate it. Can we continue on with the program ma'am? Yes. Everybody here is fighting for the same thing ma'am, we all are. Okay. All right. Thank you. We want to thank everybody for their remarks. Everybody has value, 100%. We appreciate the passion and thank you again. And so thank you Alexis. I think I introduced you as Alex. I apologize. Next I have another individual. I can't believe I get to introduce these people I see on TV all the time. A personal hero of mine, Senator Markey.
Senator Markey (20:25):
Thank you. Thank you all for coming out here today because we are at a critical turning point in American history. In 1900, life expectancy in the United States was 48 years of age. In 1900, 20% of all children died before the age of five in the United States of America. And then what happened? A public health movement began to spend on every family with the health care protections which they needed. Vaccines, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, access to food, access to clean water, access to clean air. And now we've added 30 additional years of life expectancy since the progressive health care movement began in our country. That is what the Republicans are fighting to roll back because they have always harbored an ancient animosity towards all of those programs which they never supported in the first place. They want to cut Medicaid by $800 billion. Right now, 70% of all people in nursing homes are on Medicaid. Half of those people have Alzheimer's. Most of the children born in the United States, it's because of Medicaid funding. 330,000 people in Massachusetts alone are on Medicaid with help for their disabilities.
(22:25)
Medicaid is more than a line in the budget. Medicaid is a lifeline for every American family to ensure that they get the help which they need. That is what is on the line. They want to cut $230 billion from SNAP, from food assistance. 50% of all children in the United States at some point in their lives will be on SNAP, will be in need of food assistance. They want to cut $330 billion for Title I, education for poor children in our country, access for the kids with disabilities in the schools across our country. They want to wipe out these programs that have provided the protections for every single family in our country. And they are our victories and they're coming for our programs which we have fought for, which you have fought for which generations have fought for. In just over a few weeks, Donald Trump and Elon Musk have taken a chainsaw to our healthcare system. They want to cut Medicare, they want to cut Medicaid. Why do they want to do that? They are selling out your care to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.
(23:52)
Donald Trump, Elon Musk and their Republican enablers in Congress are pursuing a Make America Sick Again campaign to keep the billionaires rich again more than they have ever been in our country's history. Their cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will make health more expensive. Their work to add work requirements to Medicaid will force Americans to go through more red tape to get their care and their cuts to community health centers and hospitals mean Americans will need to wait longer for care from providers who are overworked and underpaid. Musk, Trump and Republicans want to give billionaires more money to spend on luxury trips and vacation homes and private schools and concierge medicine for them. But what is left behind is the rubble of the public health system that has been put in place over the last 100 years for every family, but every dollar they hand out to billionaires is $1 taken away from Medicaid and SNAP and healthcare and education and housing and veterans health care, whoever earned it, social security, Alzheimer's research, all are going to be slashed.
(25:11)
Billionaires get enough support off the backs of Americans already. We need to make sure we fight so everyone else gets it. On the floor of the Senate, I voted no on Robert F. Kennedy as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. I will vote no on Trump's NIH director. I will vote no on Donald Trump's FDA commissioner. I will vote no on every one of Donald Trump's nominees. For everything I am going to vote no. And I am going to vote no to a funding plan which the Republicans want to put on the Senate floor that will gut the healthcare programs of this country that serve every single American. I will vote no. And we must make sure that we put the Republicans on record, that they are going to try to destroy Medicaid and Medicare and education programs and clean air and clean water and food for kids all across our country. We're going to make them accountable.
(26:31)
We're going to make sure that they have to pay the political price. They think we're knocked down. We are not knocked out. We are up. We're going to fight and we're going to win. We're going to win. We just have to keep this message out there. We have to make sure that they know that these programs are essential for everyone. The past is just a memory. The future is the hard reality of the poor, the sick, the elderly, the disabled in our society. We have to make sure that a nostalgia for a time that never existed is replaced with the idealism that we need for all of these healthcare programs to be protected. Thank you all so much. You cannot make America great again by making America hate again. We're going to fight them every single step of the way. Thank you all so, so much. Let's go get them.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
When we fight-
Crowd (27:32):
We win.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
When we fight-
Crowd (27:32):
We win.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
That's right. Thank you Senator Markey. Truly, truly an advocate for us. We need more people in Congress like him, so will you consider running? All right. All right. You know what I love? The phrasing. Make America Sick Again, which is MASA. Is anybody surprised? Anyway. Okay, so we're moving on. We got a lot of great speakers. Coming up we have Gina from MPA, Fari from SPACEs In Action, and Frankie Clark from Action NC.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Hey everyone. This proposed $880 billion to Medicaid is going to hurt everyone suffering and the most vulnerable in our nation are going to hurt. I have been disabled for almost 25 years. At the age of 30, I was diagnosed with a very rare disease called Cushing's. A year later, I had both of my adrenal glands removed. I live with Addison's disease. Without Medicaid, I won't be able to afford to see my doctor. This prevents me from getting my meds prescribed to me. These same medicines are what keep me alive. My access to Medicaid is how I am able to afford these prescriptions. Therefore, having Medicaid is life or death for me. Do what's right for your constituents because everyone deserves the right to care. Thank you.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (30:07):
Jambo Bwana. On behalf of our great nation's capital, I am Fari Ghamina Tumpe, health equity organizer with SPACEs In Action, multi-generational caregiver of differently- abled family members. And I too live with several autoimmune disorders, but very honored to put my foot on the necks of bad actors. As a national member of popular democracy, I have come to rely on Medicaid for my differently-abled family members. And I have had incidents, many of them of being denied authorizations for expensive and crucial mental health medications for my grandchildren, it was denied by Medicaid. Let me hear you say shame.
Crowd (31:17):
Shame.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (31:17):
Shame.
Crowd (31:17):
Shame.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (31:21):
Shame.
Crowd (31:22):
Shame.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (31:24):
Right-wing Republicans are holding the US economy hostage. They are weaponizing the need to increase the debt limit and demanding massive federal spending cuts to Medicaid. There's also the proposal of the expansion of so-called work requirements for Medicaid and federal anti-poverty programs like SNAP, WIC, TANF. The Economic Analysis and Research Network has already documented why these requirements don't work. Instead, they inflict harm on the people with the greatest need. If the rich succeed in forcing this deal, millions of people will have access to their basic health care and food put at risk while boosting billionaire corporate profits.
(32:41)
We tell the world that we are the land of the free and the home of the brave, but we live in the land of racial capitalism and the home of systemic oppression. In spite of it all, in spite of it all our resilience shines through our souls. People shouldn't be poor because they're sick or sick because they're poor, because health care is a right and not a privilege. Say healthcare is a right.
Crowd (33:33):
Healthcare is a right.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (33:33):
Healthcare is a right.
Crowd (33:33):
Healthcare is a right.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (33:35):
Say healthcare is a right.
Crowd (33:35):
Healthcare is a right.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (33:36):
Say it one more time so I can find my spot back on my speech.
Crowd (33:40):
Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right. Healthcare is a right.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (33:41):
I'm not going to worry about finding it. I just want to say together we fight, together we win. We're stronger together, and we must keep moving our money. Say move our money.
Crowd (34:10):
Move our money.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:10):
Say move our money.
Crowd (34:10):
Move our money.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:10):
Say move our money.
Crowd (34:12):
Move our money.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:23):
When health care is under attack, what do we do?
Crowd (34:26):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:26):
I said, what do we do?
Crowd (34:26):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:26):
What do we do?
Crowd (34:26):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:32):
When health equity is under attack, what do we do?
Crowd (34:35):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:35):
What do we do?
Crowd (34:35):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:35):
What do we do?
Crowd (34:35):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:35):
When your dignity is under attack, what do we do?
Crowd (34:44):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:44):
What do we do?
Crowd (34:44):
Stand up right back.
Fari Ghamina Tumpe (34:44):
I said, what do we do?
Crowd (34:44):
Stand up right back.
Frankie Clark (34:44):
Good afternoon.
Crowd (34:44):
Good afternoon.
Frankie Clark (34:44):
I said Good afternoon people.
Crowd (34:44):
Good afternoon.
Frankie Clark (35:09):
My name is Frankie Clark and I represent North Carolina Action Senior Healthcare Warriors and they call us healthcare warriors because we've been on the fight for healthcare and action North Carolina. I'm here today just to tell you my story. I am one of those people who get Medicaid and I get Medicare both. That's because of my income level. That's all based on your money. And so in getting this care, I need Medicaid not to be cut because I need Medicaid to sustain me, to sustain me to keep me alive and healthy. I am 80 years old
Frankie Clark (36:00):
I'm still able to live by myself to take care of myself, but I have health issues, and my income is not enough to pay private insurance. Okay, because I get the Medicaid, I qualify for Medicaid and Medicare, it provides me because I have glaucoma. It's an eye disease that you get sometimes when you're diabetic and sometimes when you're not diabetic.
(36:28)
And so, I have to see a specialist three times a year. And without Medicaid, I wouldn't be able to do it. I'm a diabetic, I have high blood pressure and all of that, and I need the Medicaid and the Medicare. The Medicare is part of Social Security. So if Social Security get cut, you won't have any medical coverage either. So I get Medicare, but Medicare is not enough, especially if you have vision problems, dental problems, you know?
(37:08)
And so the Medicaid supplements, the Medicaid comes in and pays for the care that I need to see the specialist. I need that. And without it, without the Medicaid, if Medicaid get cut, I would be lost. I wouldn't be able to go see my specialist for my eyes. I could go blind. It's not right, it's wrong. It's not right. It's wrong. It's not right. It's wrong.
(37:39)
Every human being is entitled to healthcare. We are supposedly the greatest country in the world. We have a good healthcare program now, that's working. And without the Medicaid supplementing many of the Affordable Care Act, many middle class Americans wouldn't have any health insurance. And because of the rules set up, see, before, when the private insurance companies handled it, you couldn't have an existing disease. They could deny you, so you couldn't get any health care anyway. So now at least families all over America can have some health insurance to cover them because of Medicaid.
(38:20)
Don't cut the Medicaid, because you're killing people. You know what they're doing. You know what they're doing? It's in reverse. I'm not crazy. [inaudible 00:38:33] Yes, ma'am. I'm listening. [inaudible 00:38:37].
Speaker 5 (38:37):
You came to fight.
Frankie Clark (38:37):
Oh, God!. Hey, I'm trying to tell you people, you need to fight. As long as you have breath in your body, you need to stand up. Because of the denial of the healthcare, because of the cuts, it's going to hurt so many millions and millions of people. One out of every six persons in America needs Medicaid, and they depend on it. And the thing about it is that it crosses all racial, cultural, nationality lines. It's about class. Yes, they want to divide, and what they're doing is, they're doing the reverse of Robin Hood. They're robbing from the poor to give to the rich. They're robbing from the poor to give to the rich. Do not cut our Medicaid. Do not mess with our affordable health care. I'm telling you, almighty God. See you.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Mic drop Almighty God sees you, right? That's right. Because I see that sign right there that says, Jesus said, and I am not religious, but he was a good dude. Jesus said, feed the poor, heal the sick, and love thy neighbor, because love, not hate makes America great, right? That's right. That is right. Okay, we got another individual here, another one of my resister sisters. Okay? They actually, last summer, they adopted me into the squad. They said I was the Alaska squad. I felt all special and stuff. So that's true, healthcare is a human right. Healthcare is a human right. Healthcare is a human right. Healthcare is a human right. With that, we're going to introduce somebody that knows that to her bones. Representative Rashida Tlaib.
Representative Rashida Tlaib (41:03):
Hello everyone. So I'm the proud founder of the Congressional Mama's Caucus. And I know with Medicaid, it means life or death for mothers giving birth. We know that for many of our children, from the prenatal care to the post birth care, is incredibly important.
(41:22)
But here we are, right here where Republicans want to ram through, not millions, but $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for billionaires and power for corporations. Corporate greed kills. It is a disease in our country. It is obvious to me that they prefer to, again, put profits before people. And in order to pay for these tax breaks later, replacing, giving away our money, they want to rip healthcare away from millions of our families. It is shameful.
(41:58)
You know, I have colleagues throwing it up and saying, this budget proposal doesn't have the word Medicaid in it. Yeah, okay. We ain't stupid. We understand what nearly a trillion dollars out of Energy and Commerce Committee really means. Stop lying to the American people. Some of you have over 50, even some over 60%, of folks that depend on Medicaid. So when we say fund care, not billionaires, we mean it.
(42:28)
You know, I know nearly 80 million people around the country depend on Medicaid and CHP for health services. I know so many of our families have been working so hard to combat Black maternal health, infant mortality in our community. I mean, it's like we get a foot in and a pullback. For those that rely on Medicaid, you all know it's not just a service or coverage. It is a difference between life and death.
(42:55)
But right now, we all know the future of our Medicaid system is under threat. You know that under the Republican budget, more than 250,000 people alone in my district would be risking that healthcare coverage they need. You know, they act like we plan to get sick. Really? They act like we're just sitting around here and we're like, what are you talking about? Who likes to go to the doctor? You know what I mean? Like, and we have sick care in our country, not healthcare. They don't have the courage to take on big pharma in the healthcare industry, that literally feeds on profit and greed. But here we are. Here we are. Here we are. Them treating us like we're just numbers. These folks are our neighbors. They're our friends, they're our families. Have you ever talked to a father that lost the mother of his children, giving birth? Have you ever talked to a person that continues to say, even the Medicaid system now isn't even covering my prescription drugs, and they want to just take the bare minimum that they're even giving to my residents? It is shameful.
(44:03)
Now, this is where I get emotional. You know, I'm the eldest of 14, [inaudible 00:44:08]. I'm the eldest of 14, and I've been taking care of people all my life. And when I think of the babies, the children, the trauma, and it's unbelievable that we would literally sit here and think that giving this $4.5 trillion to these corporations while leaving our children out there, some of them again, unhoused, so vulnerable.
(44:32)
You know, they act like it's so easy to get healthcare in our country. It is worse than hard. It is unbelievably immoral and inhumane. Our system here, and here they are trying to fund billionaires, not care.
(44:49)
Now, I want you all to make no mistake, this is an American issue. I can tell you, every corner, every congressional district has folks, has folks right now that are on Medicaid that will be hurt. Even a minor cut. Do you understand? Even a minor change is going to get a matter of life and death. I've already seen it, where folks can't afford their prescription drugs, rationing. A mother coming before our committee, twins rationing the diet, literally the insulin, losing one of her children at six years old. How does a mother live after that?
(45:33)
But they do their best. You know this. Many, many tell me I'm doing my best. And here they are again, choosing the billionaires and the corporations before the people that they're supposed to represent. We must continue to raise our voices. I remind people, you know, I come from the most beautiful, Blackest city in the country, the city of Detroit. In every corner, every corner. I kid you, not every corner. If you feel down, come to my city, you'll leave wanting to just come up here with so much strength. Every corner of my district is a reminder of this. T.
(46:06)
Hat institution, it doesn't move until you make us move. That's that White House, that president, you think they wake up, "Oh, you know what? The Civil Rights Act was a, that's a really good idea." Mm-mm. People marched. They demanded that change. You think the right to organize unions came from the White House or Congress? No. It's when people without their labor, it's when we demanded that change and that protection. People were dying and they still do at work. They wanted human dignity. And it was the people that organized in the streets. We showed up with our bullhorns, with our voices, with our real lived experiences, and we held them accountable. We didn't disappear. We didn't shy down. We were unapologetically speaking truth to power.
(46:57)
There's a reason that a lot of my colleagues don't want to have live telephone, live… What do they call it? Town halls. Yeah, I know, I know. And the thing is, they all have offices that can take meetings. They all have hospitals, clinics, centers. So many of them have seasoned residents in their community. They need to raise their voices and speak up about what this really will mean to their community. It's devastating that some people are thinking, you know what? Just let it happen and see what happens. I said, no, I don't want anybody to die.
(47:35)
So we're going to fight to save lives. We're going to fight against the corporations. We're going to fight against corporate greed, because guess what? They are underestimating the people here. They're underestimating how much we love our community, we love our neighbors. Because hell, if they won't do it, we'll take care of the sick, we'll take care of our children. And you know how? Because we're going to make that institution move. Because I want you to repeat after me.
(48:03)
Fund care, not-
Audience (48:03):
Billionaires.
Representative Rashida Tlaib (48:03):
Fund care, not-
Audience (48:03):
Billionaires.
Representative Rashida Tlaib (48:03):
Fund care, not-
Audience (48:03):
Billionaires.
Representative Rashida Tlaib (48:04):
Fund care, not-
Audience (48:05):
Billionaires.
Representative Rashida Tlaib (48:14):
Let's go save some lives. Thank you so much. I don't know about you all. And for my seasoned residents here, how many of you have been doing selfies? We're about to do a little selfie with you all. Is that okay?
Speaker 6 (48:32):
A little posse. You ready?
Representative Rashida Tlaib (48:32):
Ready?
Analilia Mejia (48:32):
When we fight-
Audience (48:32):
We win.
Analilia Mejia (48:32):
When we fight-
Audience (48:32):
We win.
Analilia Mejia (48:32):
When we fight-
Audience (48:32):
We win.
Analilia Mejia (48:33):
Thank you. You know what y'all that is right. Stand up, fight back,
(48:48)
Stand up-
Audience (48:48):
Fight back.
Analilia Mejia (48:48):
Stand up-
Audience (48:48):
Fight back.
Analilia Mejia (49:07):
We're going to fight for our communities. We are going to fight for our children. We are going to fight for our grannies. We are going to fight for our dignity. Y'all, today is not, the stand that we take today is critical and important, but the truth is, we got to carry this message across all of our communities.
(49:46)
So I want to know, I'm going to put you all on the spot right now. Be ready. You ready? All right. I want, if you are ready to go talk to your neighbors, to go talk to your family, to make a call to your congressmember, to send a letter across community, to maybe write into the paper. I want you to put your fist up and say, I am ready-
Audience (50:18):
I am ready.
Analilia Mejia (50:18):
To fight.
Audience (50:18):
To fight.
Analilia Mejia (50:18):
For all.
Audience (50:18):
For all.
Analilia Mejia (50:19):
That I love.
Audience (50:19):
That I love.
Analilia Mejia (50:27):
And must protect.
Audience (50:28):
And must protect.
Analilia Mejia (50:30):
I make a commitment.
Audience (50:31):
I make a commitment.
Analilia Mejia (50:31):
To my community.
Audience (50:31):
To my community.
Analilia Mejia (50:36):
To those around me.
Audience (50:37):
To those around me.
Analilia Mejia (50:37):
And to justice.
Audience (50:37):
And to justice.
Analilia Mejia (50:44):
I'm glad to stand in community with all of y'all, my beautiful people. I should introduce myself. Ooh, I'm having a hot flash. Oh my God. Oh, oh. I think some people in the audience may understand what I'm talking about. You may see steam in a minute. Thankfully, it's not that cold.
(51:08)
Y'all, I am excited to be able… First of all, my name is Analilia Mejia. I know that's a lot of vowels. All you got to remember is, when we fight, we win. All right? I have the privilege to be co-ED of the Popular Democracy, which is, I mean, frankly, it's all of us. All right?
(51:29)
Our commitment is to stop this massive transfer of wealth from those who live at the expense of the American people, and those who are left to build our lives at the margins. This idea that even some of our "friends" in the Democratic Party, this idea that they could play possum, that they could just stand aside, that they can just allow the madness to happen, because they believe that they'll be able to own the fallout later. But guess what? We are the fallout. We are the collateral damage. We refuse to be pumped into the gristmill without a fight. Are you with me?
(52:26)
I know who is down to fight. I see them spread everywhere as the daughter of a nurse. As the daughter of a nurse who, to be frank, y'all, I knew I had to be really sick if I tried to not go to school. Something had to be bleeding, falling off, or I was dead.
(52:51)
But as a mother, as a daughter, as an activist, I want to share, right now, my mother is 81 years old, has dementia. And if it wasn't for the fact that Medicaid is there, I wouldn't be able to work. I couldn't even stand in front of you and fight for everyone else. If it wasn't for Medicaid, I wouldn't have the support that allows me to engage.
(53:23)
Healthcare is a human right. Healthcare will be protected. Healthcare can be saved by all of us, leading the fight alongside all of us at Popular Democracy, at New York Communities for Change, at Las Donas, at Volco, at Casa. And all of these, stand up and see. Stand up, accidency, stand up Alaska. We have one of the most tremendous unions and union leaders that is ready to put down, shut up, fight, anything we have
Speaker 4 (54:00):
… have to do and that is the incredible Diane McClure, RN and Vice President of NNU, National Nurses Union. Come on, Diane.
Speaker 7 (54:26):
Good afternoon to my fellow champions for healthcare justice. Good to see you all here today. My name is Diane McClure. I'm a registered nurse and proud vice president of National Nurses United, which is the largest union for registered nurses in the country. As a union nurse, I have long fought for Medicare for all because nurses know that healthcare is a human right. As nurses, we see the consequences of our broken profit-driven healthcare system every day. Our hearts break for the patients who have suffered without care because of high costs or denials by insurance companies whose only interest actually is their own bottom line. As we continue to fight for Medicare for all, we are standing up today to protect one of the country's most critical public healthcare programs and that is Medicaid.
(55:34)
Medicaid is fundamental to the survival of 72 million Americans, 20% of the country's population. Look around you. That's one in five people, but the administration's cruel, only in for themselves. It's literally ready to steal billions from the poor to give to the rich as they demand to cut, let's hear it again, $880 billion for Medicaid to pay for a tax cut for billionaires. Shame. This is a knife in the back for people across the country, the biggest city to the quietest back road. We know what these costs would mean. Elderly and disabled people would be robbed of the support services they need to survive.
Speaker 10 (56:36):
In our home. Our home.
Speaker 7 (56:37):
That's right. Millions could lose their ability to get anything but emergency care .without Medicaid, we know patients won't get the preventative care they need either. Instead, they'll wait until their disease worsens, as we all know, before seeking emergency care, leading to serious illness and more unnecessary and preventable deaths. The cuts will touch us all. As the number of uninsured people skyrockets, so would wait times in already overcrowded emergency rooms. Our existing healthcare system will be incapacitated, much like what we saw during Covid or even worse.
(57:19)
Medicare represents nearly 20% of the spending on healthcare in the US. It provides critical funding to rural hospitals, public facilities, and safety net hospitals. Cuts to Medicaid would lead to more hospital closures and serious economic hardships for communities where healthcare is a major driver of the economy as well. We know black and brown communities would disproportionately suffer the burden of these cuts and closures. We know the billionaire class is trying to silence us and degrade us and vulnerable people who might stand with us in this fight, but we are not going to let that happen. We know the fight for justice is a practice and not a destination, and we are using our collective power to put that into practice today. Working together and using the collective power of our unions, the workers, and the people is the only way to confront these assaults on our communities. I call on all of you to join me in the fight against the attack on us all.
Speaker 4 (58:36):
Y'all, we are mounting a comprehensive fight. We have activists, we have union leaders, we have community leaders, we have young people. We have more experienced, seasoned people. Together we are going to make this thing happen. I am so proud to introduce my sister from another mister, to tell the truth, my comrade in activism who has been leading not only in action but in heart, the incredible, the amazing, Jamila Headley from Be a Hero.
Jamila Headley (59:30):
That's right. That's right. Yep. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Speaker 8 (59:41):
We are all in the same fight.
Jamila Headley (59:43):
Yeah. I'm Jamila Headley. I lead Be A Hero and we're a movement of patients across the country fighting for guaranteed healthcare for everyone, the guaranteed healthcare we deserve. Over the last few weeks, people across the country have been writing to us to tell us what's at stake for them in this fight. I want to share some of those stories. Patricia in Delaware said, "My son would lose his day program, which would cause him to lose his nonprofit residential program. I cannot physically care for my six foot, two inch, 240 pound son. It would be utter despair. This must not happen." Alice in Texas said, "Medicaid cuts will kill me. Without medication, I would be unable to go on. The pain and depression would overwhelm me. Please don't let this happen." Donna in California said, "Medicaid cuts would mean my adult son would have to go without his psychiatric medicines and would be unable to work. He has been near suicidal for decades and I worry that the loss of Medicaid would cause him to entirely give up hope."
(01:00:39)
Sally in Oregon, "My sister who has cancer and needs monthly infusions as her post chemotherapy care would no longer get this treatment plan and would die." I want to tell you today what I would like to say to Patricia and to Alice and to Donna and to Sally. I know it is outrageous and it's scary, $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid that the Republicans are proposing. But here's the truth. They have picked the wrong fight. Trump has picked the wrong fight. Republicans in Congress have picked the wrong fight and Elon Musk, he has picked the wrong fight to try to extend their tax cuts for their billionaire friends and corporate cronies on the backs of our healthcare. Here's why. Because there are 80 million people who depend on Medicaid and CHIP across this nation.
(01:01:38)
We're talking about one in five of us, six out of ten of all people in nursing homes, four out of 10 people with disabilities like me, almost half of all poor adults and 80% of all kids who live in poverty. Four out of 10 of all of our babies born in this country are born because they have Medicaid, are able to be given birth in safe settings because they have Medicaid. All of these lives are at stake. Without Medicaid, millions will not get the care they need. People will forgo going to a doctor. Hundreds of thousands of people won't be able to get the home care that they need to stay with their loved ones and to be in the communities with people that they love. People will not be able to take medications they need.
(01:02:23)
If people do go and get the care they need, many will face bankruptcy and the cruelty of a bad credit score, but it's not just the people who are on Medicaid who benefit from Medicaid who are going to be harmed. Without Medicaid, 12 million people on Medicare won't be able to afford the care they need. Already struggling hospitals all over this country, particularly in rural areas, will begin to close. If these cuts go through, we will see community health centers shuttered all over our country. Cutting Medicaid is going to devastate all of us.
(01:02:58)
Elon Musk referred to people who use public benefits like Medicaid as the parasite class, but he's the parasite. He's the one who has taken more than $38 billion of our taxpayer money to help build his businesses at Tesla and SpaceX. We know what he cares about most. He cares about his pocketbook and now he and Trump are trying to pick our pockets, the pockets of millions of Americans, our state governments' pockets by trying to cut Medicaid. They're picking on Medicaid because they underestimate us. They underestimate the potency of our pain. This isn't the first time that they've done this. This isn't the first time they've underestimated us. In 2017, when Trump tried to hitch cutting the ACA to his tax bill, they underestimated us and we came together and we fought. We showed up like we are in DC today and we saved the ACA. And then the next year in 2018, we took all of that fury, all of that pain, and in congressional districts around the country, we won that power in the house and kicked some of those finalist Republicans out of office.
(01:04:13)
But here's the good news. Musk might be the richest person in the world, but this country only has 800 billionaires. There are tens of millions more of us. We outnumber them and this is our power. This fight will be hard, y'all. It is going to be exhausting, but we can win. We can win. Back in 2017, my comrade, Ari Barkin would often lead folks in a mic check. I've been thinking about him a lot these days. I want to lead you in that same chant today. So are you with me? Mic check. Mic check.
Speaker 11 (01:04:57):
Mic check.
Jamila Headley (01:04:57):
Mic check.
Speaker 11 (01:05:01):
Mic check.
Jamila Headley (01:05:03):
We are here to fight.
Speaker 11 (01:05:04):
We're here to fight.
Jamila Headley (01:05:06):
For this country that we love.
Speaker 11 (01:05:07):
For this country that we love.
Jamila Headley (01:05:12):
Because we are stronger together.
Speaker 11 (01:05:13):
Because we're stronger together.
Jamila Headley (01:05:16):
Because we are braver together.
Speaker 11 (01:05:17):
Because we're braver together.
Jamila Headley (01:05:20):
Because we are louder together.
Speaker 11 (01:05:22):
Because we are louder together.
Jamila Headley (01:05:24):
I believe.
Speaker 11 (01:05:27):
I believe.
Jamila Headley (01:05:27):
I believe.
Speaker 11 (01:05:27):
I believe.
Jamila Headley (01:05:28):
I believe that we'll win.
Speaker 11 (01:05:28):
I believe that we'll win.
Jamila Headley (01:05:28):
I believe that we'll win. I believe that we'll win.
Speaker 11 (01:05:29):
I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win.
Jamila Headley (01:05:51):
That's right. Got it. Community always looking out, always looking out. We'll win through the efforts of every single one of us, our allies, and our community. I am proud to yet again introduce another set of allies that are down to stand up, fight back, and in recognition that health care is not just an issue of healthcare, healthcare and the ability to access quality care, affordable care, responsible care, all of that has an impact on our housing, on our economic security, on our ability to parent, on our ability to care. And so we have two organizations that are at the forefront of this intersection, ready to stand with us. I am glad to introduce Nicole Jorwic from Caring Across Generations and Dr. Vaty P from Housing Works. Come on, fearless leaders.
Speaker 8 (01:07:01):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. So yes, I am Vaty Poitevien or Dr. P for everyone. I am here in front of you as a physician. I'm a physician in the community healthcare and I have decades of experience, seeing the power that Medicaid has to transform lives and to provide life-saving services for million of Americans as we heard today. But for many of my patients, Medicaid is a lifeline for us.
Speaker 12 (01:07:44):
She saved my life.
Speaker 8 (01:07:48):
I hope I did. So I'm here today to represent the voices of my patients because our lifeline is under attack. I'm here today to speak for Ron who is 24 years old. Last month he got diagnosed with HIV. Ron left my clinic with life-saving medication thanks to Medicaid and Ron went from despair to hope. I'm here to talk about Liz. Liz is 50 years old. She's beautiful. She lost her healthcare coverage when she lost her job and she lost her job because she could no longer work. She was developing paralysis. But guess what? Medicaid stepped in and Liz got the diagnosis and the treatment she needed and now Liz is better.
(01:08:42)
You see, because those cuts and we heard it the whole day, they're not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are people. They are lives. These numbers are women that will lose prenatal care. They are children that will lose their immunization. Wait a second. They are seniors that are going to lose their care. They are veterans that are going to lose their care after fighting for this country. These cuts are cruel. They are cruel and immoral because it is immoral to force people to choose between food and medication. It is cruel to force people to not get the care they need.
(01:09:29)
But I'm going to tell you what, this is not the worst with those cuts. They are, and listen to that, fiscally stupid. They are fiscally reckless. They are fiscally foolish because Medicaid provides preventative care and when you cut it, what happens is that people with preventable condition gets into the emergency room and all you do, it pushes up to the hospital. So there is no real saving. It's just cruelty. And we will not take it. Let's say no, no to the cuts, no to cuts-
Speaker 9 (01:10:10):
But he had a cold and it interrupted his voice. I appreciate seeing you again, however and you're fantastic, very much appreciate you being here. And I also want thank my new friends from Northern Ireland. Thank you very much. I say they spoke very well of you, so that's good. That's good and great to be with you. And thank you to Speaker Johnson and thank you to all of the members of Congress who are here. Quite a few, most of most of whom are Irish and who welcome to.. And they love you because, Michal… But it's like I said, "How many people call you exactly Michael?" He said, "About 50%." I said, "You get upset when they do it?" "No, but I love anybody who… Michal because that's the way it is."