Lujan Grisham: Ryan Budget Crushes Economic Growth, Costs Jobs

Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham delivered the following statement at the House Budget Committee during consideration of the Ryan Budget.

“Mr. Chairman, I am deeply concerned about the budget presented to us and it’s negative impacts on jobs in this country. This plan choses to balance the budget in 10 years, which is both arbitrary and harmful to middle class families, the disabled and seniors. With all due respect, this is a plan to disparity, not prosperity.

“We can no longer ignore what the experts have said about this budget – it will crush economic growth and it will cost jobs. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the Ryan Budget will result in 2 million fewer American jobs in 2014. This is on top of the 750,000 jobs we will lose this year due to sequestration. This is another job killing policy our country cannot afford.

“According to a 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistics study, the Health sector is going to be the leader in job growth throughout the rest of this decade. The BLS projected the Health sector would create 4.3 million jobs by 2020 – a 30% increase – while the rest of the economy creates jobs at a 13% rate. Simply put, health care services and delivery is where the jobs are.

“Unfortunately, the budgetary path once again chosen by the Republicans in this Congress will put job growth in jeopardy. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that the Ryan Budget would cut $2.5 trillion from health care by 2023. It does so by turning Medicare into a voucher program and block granting Medicaid to states. This will force health care providers to cut jobs and reduce services to their patients. With an aging population that will require greater care, we should be investing in critical infrastructure like the health care system, not cutting it.

“We can have positive job growth and begin creating jobs this year with some basic investments. While this bill repeals the Affordable Care Act, it is still the law of the land. The implementation of health insurance exchanges, which are scheduled to begin enrolling participants in October need funding for IT infrastructure to process enrollments and payments, eligibility verification, call centers, and other assistance to help individuals and small businesses select and enroll in health plans. These health care infrastructure investments would create jobs immediately. In my state of New Mexico alone, health care investments would work to reverse our negative job growth rate due to current austerity measures.

“The Ryan proposal is bad policy that harms our most vulnerable citizens and is job killer. It is time we had a balanced approach to grow our economy and put Americans back to work. I yield back.”

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