Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) expressed his position following the House budget reconciliation vote. In a statement, he said, “It was not an easy decision for me, but I voted yes on the budget reconciliation bill.” He emphasized his efforts since January to protect Medicaid for vulnerable constituents in his district. Despite various proposed changes that could have negatively impacted healthcare in California, he managed to prevent some provisions from being included.
However, Congressman Valadao noted concerns with the Senate version of the bill, which made more changes to Medicaid than the House version. He stated, “Since they were announced, I made my concerns about the provider tax and state-directed payments provisions clear to my colleagues in the House and Senate and the administration.” After discussions, an additional $25 billion was added to support rural hospitals through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
He acknowledged ongoing concerns with certain provisions but committed to working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address risks faced by Valley hospitals. Congressman Valadao also highlighted benefits of the bill such as preserving Medicaid for children, pregnant women, disabled individuals, and seniors. The legislation includes measures like blocking a major tax hike on working families and expanding tax credits beneficial to CA-22 residents.
Furthermore, he secured $1 billion for water infrastructure funding and advocated for Farm Bill investments including specialty crop research funding and pollution prevention measures in rural areas. Improvements were also made to support clean energy initiatives in Central Valley.
Concluding his statement, Congressman Valadao remarked on achieving priorities such as lower taxes and better infrastructure while ensuring healthcare access. He pledged ongoing efforts towards responsible implementation of each provision within CA-22’s interests.
