WASHINGTON – Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) today opposed an amendment to provide additional funding for the war in Iraq and voted to pass another amendment that would to meet our nation’s obligation to those who bravely serve, address the economic insecurity of those here at home and delay harmful Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush Administration.

“The war in Iraq must come to an end – too many lives have been lost, too much money has been spent, and too much time has been wasted on the President’s failed war,” said DeGette. “As a staunch opponent of this war who opposed its original authorization, I cannot support any measure that does not contain strict timelines to end this war safely and responsibly.”

While DeGette opposed the first amendment providing additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, DeGette supported key domestic spending priorities: postpones six Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush Administration, provides $2.65 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief fund, Army Corps of Engineers, and Small Business Administration to address the recent flooding in the Midwest, and extends unemployment insurance for 13 weeks for Americans struggling in today’s economy.

“The Bush Administration’s draconian Medicaid regulations would have had a devastating effect on our nation’s health-care safety-net. Denver Health, a premiere health care institution in Colorado, is using cutting-edge and innovative ways to cut costs and provide service. We need to support these institutions in the work they do and I applaud the House for standing up for the health care safety-net in this country.”

As Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congresswoman DeGette has been aggressive in pursuing a delay in the implementation of the regulations. Not only was she a cosponsor of H.R. 5613, the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, she also organized and sent a letter from Members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce to the House leadership and leadership of the House Appropriations Committee strongly urging them to include a moratorium in the Supplemental Appropriations Bill.