WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today released their assessment of the Bush health care budget and its impact on New Jersey residents. The budget makes clear that providing access to comprehensive, affordable health care programs is not a top priority for this administration. Instead of putting resources into an already-strained health care system, the president is attempting to balance the budget on the backs of our nation’ seniors and low-income families.  It also allocates far less than what is needed to provide adequate health care to low-income children and undermines the future of State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), known as FamilyCare here in New Jersey.            “The president has decided to tighten his fist when it comes to health care solutions for our seniors, our children and our low-income families in New Jersey,” said Menendez. “This is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing, I believe it is our job to invest significantly in solutions that will strengthen our health care system, and I will continue to make it a priority to help more New Jerseyans afford the health care they deserve.”                                                                 "President Bush's cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other vital health care services are the wrong prescription for New Jersey.  It hurts families and children who are already struggling to see a doctor and pay for the prescriptions and medical care they need. As a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees, I will fight to make this budget a better deal for New Jersey -- so our residents can get quality health care at an affordable price," Senator Frank R. Lautenberg said.                                                                 President Bush, in his budget, proposes cutting Medicare and Medicaid by $200 billion over five years.  This is particularly troubling because more than 40% of New Jersey hospitals are facing financial difficulty.  Any additional cuts could pose problems for the more than 1.2 million New Jersey Medicare patients that depend on these hospitals for their life-saving care.                                                                               The president’s budget, among other things: reduces our ability to fund life-saving medical breakthroughs and eliminates funding for the Patient Navigator program, which coordinates care for people with cancer and other serious illnesses.                                                                   Additionally, the president wants to balance the budget on the backs of our children. Not only does he provide less funding than Congress proposed for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, he has also vetoed a proposal from Congress that would have provided 125,000 children in New Jersey to continue to receive health care coverage and allow an additional 100,000 children to gain health care coverage.                                                             Sens. Menendez and Lautenberg, both members of the Senate Budget Committee, pledged to work within the Congressional budget process to ensure New Jerseyans are not shortchanged by President Bush.