U.S. Rep. Dean Blasts GOP Budget Blueprint

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —U.S. Congresswoman Madeleine Dean has blasted the GOP's federal budget rollout, saying she voted against it.

With the federal government running out of money in two weeks, Dean said the Republican budget blueprint offers "$4.5 trillion in handouts for the richest in America."

"And to offset it, Republicans are targeting working families with $2 trillion in spending cuts," Dean said.

"That means vital programs like Medicaid and SNAP are on the chopping block. That means children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families will worry about losing their healthcare and access to nutrition," Dean said.

In Pennsylvania, nearly three million people rely on Medicaid’s Medical Assistance and CHIP for healthcare — including 39 percent of all the Commonwealth’s children, 47 percent of adults with disabilities, and 64 percent of people living in nursing homes.

In Dean's district, Medicaid is a lifeline for 61,000 children and 14,000 seniors. SNAP supports 48,000 people, Dean said.

"We have a constitutional obligation to pass a budget," Dean said. "Yet, we also have a duty to care for our most vulnerable. That is why I voted no.”