10.20.2017 / Press Release

Senate Budget Resolution Lays Groundwork for Devastating Cuts to Health and Safety-Net Programs

Washington, D.C. – In a straight party-line vote, the Senate Republicans passed late last night a budget resolution that places health coverage at risk for millions of American families. The resolution authorizes later Congressional action to finance trillions of dollars of tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy and large corporations by cutting Medicaid, Medicare, financial assistance for private insurance, and other, core safety-net programs.

Following is the statement of Frederick Isasi, executive director of Families USA, on the Senate’s partisan decision to approve the budget resolution:

“This budget resolution, rushed through on a straight party-line vote, contains carefully hidden measures that lay the groundwork for another, purely partisan assault on America’s health care.

“This is a feature, not a bug and not an oversight. The budget resolution explicitly gives Congress the authority to add to tax legislation any proposal “relating to repealing or replacing the Affordable Care Act”.

“A massive tax cut that explodes federal debt also opens the door to future cuts. The very same legislators who today authorize budget-busting tax cuts, tomorrow will surely use the resulting deficits as an excuse to slash Medicaid, Medicare, and financial assistance for private health insurance, as well as other, core social programs that are critical to the well-being and financial security of millions of families across the nation.

“We ask the Senate to return to regular order and pass the bipartisan Alexander-Murray legislation to stabilize the market as well as legislation that extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).”