Senator Joe Vitale, Chair of the Senate Health Committee, issued the following statement condemning the federal legislation approved by Congress that would slash support for health care and food assistance in New Jersey:
“The harsh cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food assistance in this legislation shock the conscience. As a result, New Jersey residents will go hungry and they will lose their health benefits.
“That means more people will fill our hospital emergency rooms for care that should have been provided to them in a medical office. We will see wait times increase in emergency rooms, a strain put on the ability of hospitals to provide vital care to all patients and a drain on their resources. The consequences will be far reaching and will impact the care we all receive.
“What is obscene is that this legislation is about taking from the most vulnerable people in our country to benefit the most powerful. Food will literally be taken off the kitchen tables of those in need to further line the pockets of the wealthiest.
“Every member of Congress who gives their vote to this bill should be held accountable, including those from New Jersey who are supposed to be representing the best interests of the people they serve. This is an historic disservice to the country.”
