Rep. Velazquez Issues Statement on Negotiations Surrounding Medicaid, Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 -- Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-New York, issued the following statement regarding ongoing negotiations in the Senate related to the disaster supplemental bill and funding for Puerto Rico's Medicaid shortfall:

"We need to be clear: anything less than a permanent fix to Puerto Rico's Medicaid shortfall is inadequate.

"The fact is, should Congress fail to fix the Island's healthcare system, we can expect the exodus from Puerto Rico to the mainland to accelerate, meaning the federal government will end up paying for healthcare costs of Puerto Ricans, but at a higher cost.

"If Republicans can toy with the idea of spending billions of dollars on a boondoggle like Donald Trump's border wall, certainly responsible Members of Congress can find the will and the funding to ensure 3.4 million American citizens in Puerto Rico have access to quality healthcare. We've waited long enough. Now is the time to solve this problem."