ICYMI: Luján Delivers Forceful Remarks on Republican Betrayal Bill, Highlighting Impacts on New Mexicans
WATCH Senator Luján’s Floor Speech HERE
Washington, D.C. – In Case You Missed It: U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of both the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, took to the Senate floor to deliver a floor speech detailing how the Republican budget bill would devastate New Mexico’s families, farmers and ranchers, and children and seniors. Senator Luján’s floor speech came during the midnight hour as Senate Democrats held the Senate floor.
Excerpts of Senator Luján’s floor speech are available below:
“Some claim this bill will help Americans, which we know is not the truth. Because from where I stand, there is very little in this legislation that helps hard-working New Mexicans. It’s important that this debate is happening – because now New Mexicans and all Americans can see clearly what is in this bill and what is not.”
“New Mexicans are hard-working people who believe in the values of loving your neighbor and following what the Bible teaches us: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This bill goes against everything New Mexicans stand for. It is not honest. It is not caring. And it is not fair.”
“I have heard my colleagues claim that this does not cut assistance. That’s a lie. It’s not true. This bill cuts more than a trillion dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid for crying out loud. Senate Republicans are gutting the Affordable Care Act and ripping health care away from over 17 million Americans.”
“For our rural communities out there, for the farmers and ranchers who grow our food, this bill will hurt your bottom line while closing rural hospitals and rural grocery stores. For families who rely on SNAP, this bill means less food on the table and more children going to bed hungry. All while making health care, especially emergency care, harder to access. That is what this bill does to hard-working Americans.”
“To the American people: Hear me when I say, keep speaking up. You have done it before. You helped stop the sale of our public lands. You made your voices impossible to ignore. Now, this bill is not the law of the land yet. But if we stay silent, it will be. So, keep organizing. Keep calling. Keep showing up.”
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