Protesters flood Capitol building over Medicaid cuts in Trump-backed budget plan
Protesters affiliated with several leftist groups, including the People’s Action Institute, made their voices heard in Washington as the House prepared to vote on a budget bill backed by President Donald Trump. The protesters flooded a Capitol Hill office building, specifically targeting cuts to Medicaid outlined in the budget bill.
The protesters, chanting “We got the power” and holding signs reading “Medicaid Cuts Kill,” blocked a hallway in the Longworth House Office Building. Capitol Police responded quickly to clear the protesters from the building, avoiding any arrests.
The focus of the protest was on the restructuring of Medicaid, a federal program that provides health insurance for millions of adults and children with limited income. The budget bill includes cuts to Medicaid as part of an offset to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cut law set to expire this year. The new rules and regulatory requirements proposed in the bill, including work requirements for Medicaid recipients, have sparked outrage among Democrats and activist groups.
This protest was not an isolated incident, as similar demonstrations have disrupted activities in Capitol office buildings over the past few weeks. In a previous protest, Medicaid activists disrupted a budget markup by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, with Capitol Police attempting to control the situation as protesters shouted their dissent.
Despite criticism of disrupting congressional activities, Unai Montes-Irueste, a spokesperson for the People’s Action Institute, defended the protests by stating that “Medicaid cuts kill” and emphasized the importance of fighting for healthcare coverage for all Americans.
On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, refuted accusations that Republicans want to cut Medicaid. Hudson stated that Republicans are focused on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the program to ensure that the most vulnerable receive the care they need.
The House of Representatives is set to vote on the budget bill, with the timing dependent on the passage of a rules resolution from the House Rules Committee. The ongoing protests and debates surrounding Medicaid cuts highlight the deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on healthcare policy in the United States. As the political discourse continues, it remains to be seen how the budget bill will ultimately impact Medicaid recipients and the future of healthcare in America.
