Rep. DeLauro Issues Statement on Two-Year Budget Agreement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement in response to the passage of the two-year budget agreement:

"I voted in favor of today's two-year budget agreement because it funds many initiatives I wholeheartedly support and have championed throughout my entire life. Connecticut's seniors, children, families, and veterans will benefit from the funding increases contained in this agreement. There is not a day that goes by when I am not fighting for Community Health Centers, the Children's Health Insurance Program, disaster recovery relief, child care programs, our nation's service members and veterans, an end to the opioid epidemic, rebuilding our infrastructure, and the National Institutes of Health.

"Funding for these efforts will directly impact countless people's lives for the better--especially in Connecticut--by extending many important health programs. The budget agreement extends the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for an additional four years--a program that provides children from families of modest means with checkups, shots, prescriptions, dental and vision care, hospital care, and the list goes on. It includes two years of funding for Community Health Centers, which serve as the primary health care provider for over 27 million people. It also extends for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, the National Health Services Corps, the Special Diabetes Program, and State Health Insurance Assistance Programs--programs that help people in Connecticut from all background and walks of life get the care they need.

"Among other important efforts, this bill includes $7 billion to fight the opioid epidemic, more than $7 billion for Community Health Centers, and $20 billion to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure--all of which are vital to Connecticut families and our economy. This is likely the only chance we will have to get these initiatives passed by this Congress, which has done untold damage by defunding government and rolling back access to affordable healthcare.

"The budget agreement also provides nearly $90 billion in additional emergency funds for hurricane-affected communities, including $4.9 billion in increased Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as a 100% federal cost share for Medicaid while they recover from the disaster. It also provides $14 million for critically-needed aid to rebuild WIC clinics across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As I saw during my recent trip to Puerto Rico, our fellow Americans who have been affected by natural disasters need our help, and this bill begins to meet their needs after months of inaction.

"Nevertheless, I am disappointed that the House has yet to vote on bipartisan legislation to protect DREAMers from being deported. Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree that we should not deport people who were brought to the United States as children through no fault of their own and know no other home.

"It is imperative that Congress pass a bill that protects DACA recipients before the March 5 deadline when their protection ends. In fact, it is the Senate that will take the next step and provide the best chance for DREAMers to be protected. With an agreement on the budget behind us, it is time for Senate Majority Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan to follow up their words with meaningful action."