Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice), Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, delivered the following statement today on the House floor in support of H.R. 5613, Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008. 

It’s an honor to serve under Chairman Dingell on the Energy & Commerce Committee and to support this effort to keep the Medicaid safety net intact.

That our Chairman shepherded this “must pass” bill through our Committee with unanimous support is testament to his enormous legislative skill and bipartisanship.

Unless we pass this bill, public hospitals and the essential services they provide will be at grave risk. A major public hospital in my district, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, is among them. It is the only Level 1 Trauma Center near top terror targets like LAX and the Ports of Long Beach and LA. In the event of an attack, Harbor would be on the frontlines. As a teaching hospital, it helps train the next generation of doctors. 

If all seven Medicaid regulations are implemented, Los Angeles County will lose $240 million in annual funding - - the equivalent of closing a public hospital like Harbor. Harbor is already over-crowded, it needs more help, not less. It needs to offer more services, not to close.

H.R. 5613 will stop these catastrophic cuts and deserves our full support.

I urge my colleagues to vote “aye” and to join in overriding a White House veto should it occur.