Congressman Cleaver Votes against Republican Budget Bill That Would Gut Medicaid, SNAP, and other Essential Services to Fund Tax Cuts for the Wealthy

(Washington, D.C.) – Last night, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted against House Republicans’ reckless budget scheme that enables the gutting of Medicaid, SNAP, and other vital government services to fund another round of tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations.

“Rather than prioritizing legislation that will lower costs for Missouri families, House Republicans passed an extremely partisan budget resolution that will hand trillions to the billionaire class while ensuring working class Missourians face higher costs on everything from healthcare and groceries to housing and more,” said Congressman Cleaver. “The extreme proposal will drive healthcare costs up by gutting Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA; it will drive food costs up by looting SNAP and food lunch programs; it will drive childcare and education costs up by cutting Head Start and Pell grants—all while exploding our national deficit, just to fund $4.5 trillion in tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy and well-connected. While I’m certainly disappointed that only one Republican voted against this attack on the working class, I will do everything in my power to prevent it from becoming law in the months ahead.”

If the Republican budget proposal is enacted into law, it would:

• Increase Healthcare Costs on Missouri Families: With up to $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA, the 159,359 Missourians in MO-05 on Medicaid, including 79,000 children and 15,000 seniors over 65, are at risk of losing healthcare coverage. Additionally, the 49,000 people in MO-05 who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would see their average premium go up by $710 per year.
• Increase Food Costs: With planned cuts of up to $230 billion for SNAP, the 87,000 Missourians in MO-05 who rely on SNAP will find it harder to keep food on the table.
• Explode the Deficit: The Republican budget proposal will add an estimated $4 trillion to America’s national debt and increase the federal deficit by $1.6 trillion.
• Provide Another Handout to the Ultra Wealthy: While costs will increase for working class Americans, the Republican budget scheme will ensure the top 0.1 percent will receive an average $314,000 tax cut per year. Nearly half the net benefit of the proposal would go to the top 5 percent of households.

“Although my Republican colleagues decided to do the bidding of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire donors this week, betraying the hardworking families who sent them to Washington, the fight is not over,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Every single Democrat voted against this monstrosity, and we will stand with the American people and fight every single day to ensure its impacts are never felt by Missouri families.” 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.