Joe Neguse

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Committee on the Budget for his leadership.

I don't serve on the Committee on the Budget, but my understanding of the Committee on the Budget, perhaps a naive understanding, was that the committee would try to build a responsible budget, to live within its means.

I must say, with deep regret, Mr. Speaker, I have respect for my colleague, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget, but every time he comes to the floor, it ends up costing us all more money. This bill is going to increase the deficit by $70 billion, $70 billion with a b. That is how much the Republican Committee on the Budget proposes that we spend, that we impair our national deficit.

For all of the Freedom Caucus members, for all of the Republicans who have come to the floor to shed crocodile tears about the fiscal health of our country, understand that in half an hour, you will be voting in favor of a bill that increases the deficit by $70 billion. Mr. Speaker, we ought to reject it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of Eco-Cycle.

Based in Boulder County, Eco-Cycle was founded by a small group of local residents who took it upon themselves to bring recycling into their community. What began with the purchase of old school buses and volunteers driving from one neighborhood to the next, collecting aluminum, paper, and glass, is now one of the Nation's oldest and largest nonprofit recyclers.

Eco-Cycle connects our community through partnerships with residents, governments, schools, businesses, and farmers. It is an institution not only of environmentalism, but of education. Throughout the past 50 years, Eco-Cycle has been a part of several groundbreaking initiatives, including their Zero Waste School program, Green Star Schools program and Environmental Education programs that combined have reached more than 75 schools across Colorado.

Eco-Cycle also, in partnership with the City of Boulder, opened the Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), the first facility of its kind in the United States. Recently, they have worked with farmers across Boulder County through the Farmer First program to engineer a closed-loop composting system.

The story of Eco-Cycle is an example for us all, that even small changes made by a few dedicated people can have astonishing results for entire communities. I am honored to represent this storied organization in Colorado's 2nd Congressional District, and I thank the staff and volunteers at Eco-Cycle who do this important work every day. I congratulate them on 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, like tens of millions of Americans, my family has been impacted by the scourge of the terrible disease of cancer.

My wonderful wife, Andrea, over 1 year ago, battled breast cancer for roughly 18 months. I saw up close the grit, the determination, and the strength that she showed daily to beat that terrible disease.

We were very lucky, but for the grace of God, the incredible care that she received from healthcare providers, and the support that we received from family and friends, that she was able to beat that disease. I count my blessings every day.

Mr. Speaker, you can imagine, given my family's journey, my dismay at an announcement that was made just a few days ago by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It didn't receive a lot of fanfare, but the agency issued a new rule to implement President Trump's big, terrible bill, H.R. 1.

This rule, in the fine print, makes very clear that it will become more difficult for cancer patients to be able to stay on Medicaid.

Let me repeat that. This pernicious provision that the Trump administration has now proposed would make it more difficult for cancer patients to be able to access and stay on Medicaid.

The question that I am here today to ask of my colleagues is: Why? Why pursue this rule, knowing, as I know you do, Mr. Speaker, that 1 out of every 10 Americans who has a history of cancer are on Medicaid-- 1 out of 10?

Knowing that this is a matter of life and death for millions of Americans, why pursue this type of terrible provision and policy that we know will result in countless Americans no longer being able to access the care that they need to survive?

It is cruel. It is unconscionable in my view.

Mr. Speaker, I am here today on the floor to make a humble request to my colleagues. There is still time to convince CMS, HHS, and the Trump administration to turn back and to not proceed with this rule. Countless Americans and a variety of organizations dedicated to helping cancer patients have publicly asked the Trump administration--have implored the Trump administration--to reverse course.

There is still time, and I would just encourage my colleagues-- request of my colleagues--implore my colleagues to join us in demanding that the Trump administration do the right thing: Rescind this rule on behalf of countless families in our country who are looking to us in Washington for help.