House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday vowed to fight against the proposed cut to Medicaid to protect the rights of Americans to healthcare.
Speaking at the 'Medicaid Day Of Action' press conference in Brooklyn, Jeffries said the proposed cuts were "the largest Medicaid cuts in American history." He said although many Brooklyn residents relied on Medicaid for healthcare, the looming cuts will affect Americans beyond the borough.
"[The cuts] will devastate the children, families, people with disabilities older Americans, women and everyday Americans in this community, the city of New York and across the country," he said, adding that the proposed cuts were to make way for "massive tax breaks for billionaire donors like Elon Musk and wealthy corporations."
If passed, the Medicaid cuts will affect more than 80 million U.S. adults and children. The budget proposal instructs the Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion, which requires deep cuts to Medicaid, according to a fact sheet from the House Committee on the Budget.
The Energy and Commerce Committee oversees Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other health, research, environmental protection, energy and telecommunication programs.
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.
Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke described the budget cuts as an assault to vulnerable Americans who rely on the service for healthcare. Clarke said the cuts would affect more than 65,000 senior residents over 65 years of age, 24,000 children and adults living with disabilities and 146,000 young adults relying on Medicaid.
"This is going to impact all Americans... The effect will not only mean the threat to our health and well-being, it will mean higher unemployment, the closure of hospitals, it will mean devastation at every turn. We have just recovered from a pandemic, we are seeing the outbreak of measles across this nation. This is not the time for the most wealthiest in our nation to line their pockets at the expense of the health and well-being of the people of the United States," she said.
Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, who spoke sperately on Tuesday at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in Fort Greene, said 45% of residents in her district rely on Medicaid, compared to 29% statewide. These cuts would disproportionately harm working families, seniors, children and people with disabilities in Brooklyn and across the country, she said.
