Carbajal Defends Obamacare
Makes First Congressional Speech
Santa Barbara’s newest congressmember Salud Carbajal took to the House floor Thursday to make his maiden speech, weighing in against Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Without the Affordable Care Act, Carbajal stated 45,000 of his constituents wouldn’t have “access to reliable, affordable health care coverage.”
Carbajal joined many Democrats who denounced the move to repeal the Affordable Care Act without first providing any alternative, terming it “reckless governance.” Republicans in both the House and Senate successfully passed measures that will require the respective budget committees of both houses to devise plans to effectively defund or reduce funding for key provisions of the health care act by January 27.
Carbajal will be attending Donald Trump’s inauguration next week despite profound differences with the president-elect over a host of issues, including immigration and health care. Carbajal toyed with the idea of not attending but ultimately persuaded himself he — as a Mexican immigrant — needed to show up as a statement against Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. His wife, Gina Carbajal, is debating whether or not she will attend.
Gina Carbajal will be attending the Women’s March on Washington the day after the inauguration. Carbajal — who has since been appointed to the congressional committee where House and Senate bills are reconciled — will be attending the Women’s March as well.
