House Republicans in vulnerable districts are facing renewed criticism from Democrats over potential cuts to Medicaid and other federal spending in the GOP’s proposed budget blueprint, which lawmakers hope to vote on this week, according to ABC News.
According to a memo from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee obtained by the publication, Democrats plan to portray Republican members in swing districts as backing a budget that would inflict “massive pain upon American families.”
The budget proposal seeks at least $2 trillion in cuts to mandatory federal spending, including funding for entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. While Republican leaders have pledged not to cut those programs, Medicaid is expected to bear the brunt of the reductions. Some GOP lawmakers have floated adding work requirements and limiting federal contributions to states for the program.
“Rather than delivering on their campaign promises to lower the high cost of living, [Republicans] are poised to pass an extreme budget scheme that would decimate affordable health care and take food off the tables of millions of American families,” the memo reads. “Republicans will find that a ‘yes’ vote doomed their reelection chances come November 2026.”
Concerns over potential Medicaid cuts have also emerged within the Republican ranks. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference recently wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson, cautioning that reductions could severely impact rural and predominantly Hispanic communities, where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling.
Hakeem Jeffries, the Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, told MSNBC that children, veterans and nursing homes would bear the brunt of the proposed cuts.
"If you just take, for instance, the proposal to cut as much as $1 trillion from Medicaid, if not more, in connection with the Republican budget resolution proposal, that’s going to hurt children, hurt everyday Americans with disabilities. It’s going to hurt seniors. It’s going to close hospitals, including in rural America. It’s going to shut down nursing homes," he said.
