The proposal could affect millions of low-income people to fund tax exemptions for the wealthiest
The Republican Party in the House of Representatives has taken a key step toward approving a budget that includes severe cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), putting millions of low-income people’s benefits at risk in the United States.
The House Rules Committee voted 9-4 in favor of the measure along party lines, paving the way for the resolution to be debated and voted on in the full House. Although some Republicans have expressed doubts about the extent of the cuts, they rejected Democratic amendments aimed at preserving funding for Medicaid and SNAP, two essential programs to ensure access to healthcare and food for the most vulnerable families.
Representative Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), who introduced proposals to protect these programs, criticized the Republican stance: “Republicans can’t have it both ways: they can’t claim to stand for their constituents when it comes to SNAP and Medicaid and then reject amendments that would do exactly that”, he stated.
Millions of people could lose benefits
An analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) warns that cuts to SNAP would affect more than 9 million low-income people in an average month. According to the organization, these measures would worsen food insecurity and harm thousands of local businesses, affecting the food supply chain nationwide.
Meanwhile, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) estimates that the $880 billion reduction in Medicaid over the next decade would put 36 million people at risk of losing their health coverage. Additionally, the report highlights that the impact of these cuts would be more harmful to lower-income households, while the wealthiest would benefit from tax exemptions derived from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The executive director of the watchdog group Accountable.US, Tony Carrk, denounced that the Republican proposal is a «gift to Trump’s billionaire donors, paid for by working Americans». In his opinion, the measure will increase expenses for many families, affecting their access to essential services such as healthcare and food.
Division in Congress
Ahead of the imminent House vote, Democrats are expected to oppose it as a bloc, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to maneuver with a narrow margin to secure approval of the budget. President Donald Trump has backed the resolution, despite claiming to oppose cuts to Medicaid.
Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), leader of the progressive Democratic bloc, made her stance clear: «I will not vote for a budget that grants tax breaks to billionaires and cuts critical programs for working families».
The budget debate promises to be one of the most intense in Congress, with implications that could affect millions of Americans and reshape the country’s economic priorities.