By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Republicans work to advance dueling budget proposals, Democrats in Washington are sounding the alarm about potential cuts to government programs like Medicaid.
House Republicans are moving forward with one, large budget plan that will have to come up with a lot of money to offset the cost of Republican-led tax cuts.
In an interview with Fox News Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump defended federal downsizing efforts and said programs like Medicaid won’t be touched.
Medicaid, a roughly $880 billion joint federal and state program that covers medical costs for over 70 million low-income people, is financed largely by federal taxpayers.
House Republicans are pushing a budget proposal, endorsed by Trump, that lumps many of his priorities, including an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, into one “big, beautiful bill.”
“There is nothing beautiful about cutting Medicaid for millions of American families struggling to be on their feet,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D- OR).
As House leaders consider ways to offset the cost of extending the tax cuts, Senate Democrats sounded the alarm Wednesday.
“Congressional Republicans are ripping away health care from our most vulnerable to fund tax breaks for their wealthy friends,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D- WI).
But Senator Josh Hawley (R- MO) believes large cuts to Medicaid would be harmful to many, including those who voted for President Trump. Sen. John Fetterman (D- PA) agrees and said he would work with the Missouri Republican to protect the program.
“I think we’re on the same page,” said Sen. Fetterman. “That’s part of that common ground, kind of commonsense thing we can agree on.”
Meanwhile, House and Senate Republicans remain at odds on the best budget approach.
“We certainly wish them all the success in moving it,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R- SD).
Senate Republicans are pushing a smaller, two-part plan that would first focus on national security, energy priorities and border security before addressing tax cuts in a later bill.
“The legislation that we’ll be working and voting on tomorrow addresses, as I said, those three critical priorities,” said Leader Thune Wednesday afternoon.
In addition to extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, President Trump also wants to eliminate tax on tips, adjust the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap, among other priorities.
All of those priorities come at a cost, and as Republicans search for ways to offset that cost, Democrats worry certain programs, like Medicaid could be at risk.
