A group of House Republicans in swing districts has written a letter in opposition to possible cuts to Medicaid in the upcoming reconciliation bill to pass President Donald Trump’s signature legislative items.
The April 14 letter, which was obtained by The Epoch Times, was written by 12 Republicans—led by Reps. David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.)—and is addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.).
In addition to Valadao and Bacon, the letter’s signatories are Reps. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), and Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.).
In it, the 12 Republicans say they come from districts with a significant Medicaid population and that the entitlement program should not be on the chopping block.
“Balancing the federal budget must not come at the expense of those who depend on these benefits for their health and economic security,” they wrote.
They acknowledged that Medicaid needs reform to ensure that money under the program does not get diverted from those in need.
They said they support “targeted reforms,” but not cuts to the entitlement.
The issue of Medicaid has been in the spotlight due to the budget resolution, which passed both houses of Congress this month and unlocked the reconciliation process, instructing the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find $880 billion in deficit cuts over a decade.
This has led to critics saying that the entitlement program could face cuts.
Johnson has said there will not be cuts to it and that instead, Congress will root out the program’s waste, fraud, and abuse.
“Cuts to Medicaid also threaten the viability of hospitals, nursing homes, and safety-net providers nationwide,” the Republicans wrote in their letter.
“Many hospitals—particularly in rural and underserved areas—rely heavily on Medicaid funding, with some receiving over half their revenue from the program alone.
“Providers in these areas are especially at risk of closure, with many unable to recover. When hospitals close, it affects all constituents, regardless of healthcare coverage.”
The 12 members called on Johnson, Scalise, Emmer, and Guthrie to “prioritize care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations” as their “constituents are asking for changes to the healthcare system that will strengthen the healthcare workforce, offer low-income, working-class families expanded opportunities to save for medical expenses, support rural and underserved communities, and help new mothers.”
The Epoch Times has reached out to Johnson, Scalise, Emmer, and Guthrie’s offices for comment on the letter.
Reconciliation allows measures related to taxing, spending, and the national debt to pass Congress without being subject to the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate that applies to most legislation.
