A budget reconciliation bill has been introduced in the U.S. House by Republicans seeking to find $2 trillion in cuts over the next 10 years.
Under this budget plan, Medicaid and food assistance programs will be on the chopping block for many Americans.
Just last month, President Donald Trump promised to “love and cherish Medicaid,” but he also gave himself an out.
“We’re not going to do anything with that, unless we can find some abuse or waste,” Trump said. “The people won’t be affected. It will only be more effective and better.”
Trump has pledged over and over again that he won’t interfere with benefits to individuals though it may be a hollow promise. Republicans are pushing forward with an agenda that failed in Trump’s first term and turned the majority of working class Americans against the party.
If at first you don’t succeed, try again
In order to fund the president’s domestic agenda of securing the border and providing tax cuts to the wealthy, deep cuts will have to be made to the nation’s budget over the next decade.
The current resolution aims to prioritize Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda and border security plans, allocating an additional $100 billion to the Committee on Armed Services from 2025 to 2034. It also gives the Committee on Homeland Security an additional $90 billion for the same timeframe.
Republicans targeted Medicaid during Trump’s first term in the White House aiming to “fix” the system and dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Republicans had a majority in Congress, but the measures failed to pass due to extreme backlash from the public putting pressure on legislators.
The attempt to cut Medicaid was likely a contributing factor to Republicans losing control of the majority in Congress after midterm elections in 2018.
However, with Trump and his Republican allies now claiming a mandate from the American people, Republican lawmakers seem hellbent on trying again.
Republicans have a slim majority in the House, 218 to 215 members, meaning virtually everyone in the party will need to agree on the proposal which would severely limit who qualifies for Medicaid. Republicans are also looking to make work requirements a condition of receiving Medicaid, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Contact Mike Johnson
- Phone: (202) 225-2777
- Web: Contact
- D.C. office: 568 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC (directions)
In order to pass the bill through the budget reconciliation process, the House and Senate would need to adopt an identical budget resolution on the floor and then pass the same package. It would bypass any potential filibuster attempt by Democrats and would only need a simple majority to pass.
Recommendations for how to meet the proposed cuts would be required by committees no later than March 27.
Democrats: ‘Just another scheme to squeeze the middle class’
Democrats are already pushing back on the budget proposal. Rep. Brendan F. Boyle (D-Penn.), the ranking member of the House budget committee, said the plan abandons the middle class.
“This Republican plan isn’t just bad policy—it betrays the middle class. Their proposal slashes critical programs that millions of hardworking Americans rely on, all while adding trillions of dollars to the deficit to bankroll massive giveaways for giant corporations and billionaires like Elon Musk.
“The trillions of dollars in fantasy growth and imaginary savings in this plan are simply absurd. Give me a break,” Boyle said in a statement.
“Even conservative economists admit these giveaways won’t pay for themselves. Instead, their plan blows up the deficit and sticks the middle class with the bill—whether through higher prices, deep cuts to essential programs, or both.”
Boyle said the Democrats will continue fighting to protect Social Security and Medicare.
“Republicans? No solutions. No relief. Just another scheme to squeeze the middle class and hand more wealth to the ultra-rich.
“The American people deserve better than this Republican Rip Off. We won’t stand by while they betray the middle class to serve the wealthiest few.”
By the numbers: Potential impact on Virginians
Democrats have launched a website to show Americans the costs associated with the proposed Republican budget.
For example, in the Sixth District represented by Ben Cline, thousands of people would likely be impacted by the budget cuts.
The website shows in Cline’s district:
- Those who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act would see their average premium go up by $810 per year
- Others could see their health insurance costs increase by a staggering 172 percent
- Nearly 118,000 on Medicaid would be at risk of losing their health care including more than 50,000 children and more than 8,000 seniors
- Threatens the nearly 32,000 people in Cline’s district who count on the Supplemental Nutrition Program, or SNAP
Contact Ben Cline
- Phone: (202) 225-5431
- Web: bit.ly/BenClineContactForm
- D.C. office: 2443 Rayburn House Office Building (directions)
Medicaid provides health insurance to more than 70 million low-income and disabled Americans, and SNAP provides support to more than 40 million Americans including children, seniors, veterans and working parents.
“Republicans are pulling a fast one on working people by reaching into their pockets to pay for billionaire handouts,” said U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass). “Make no mistake: this GOP plan will raise the cost that American families pay for groceries, health care, and getting an education – all to fund tax cuts for the ultra-rich.”
District data is available here.
Protect Our Care: American people didn’t vote to give ‘Elon Musk another tax cut’
Protect Our Care, a group dedicated to affordable health care for all, released a statement saying the Republican budget proposal puts the wants of millionaires over the needs of hardworking Americans.
“A majority of voters, including Trump voters, have a favorable view of Medicaid and see it as a critical source of health care,” said Leslie Dach, Protect Our Care chair. “These proposed cuts would devastate seniors, working people and kids. We must stop this budget from becoming reality and make sure Republicans pay the price for attempting to take away coverage from those who need it most just to give billionaires another tax cut.”
Protect Our Care has launched a “Hands Off Medicaid” campaign to try to block efforts by Republicans to slash Medicaid funding.
“The American people didn’t vote in November to have their grandparents kicked out of nursing homes or health care ripped away from kids with disabilities or expectant moms in order to give Elon Musk another tax cut,” said Dach.
“We know firsthand from the campaign to defeat ACA repeal eight years ago, and every health care fight since, that health care is a top-of-mind issue for Americans – and they want lawmakers to do more to ensure affordable access to coverage, not less.”
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Crystal Graham
