House Democrats are launching a “Day of Action” Tuesday to highlight possible GOP cuts to Medicaid in their districts and to mend a fractured party.
Democratic leadership in the House is searching for every way to push back against the GOP power trifecta in Washington as President Donald Trump continues to advance his aggressive agenda.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has centered the “Day of Action” on Medicaid as the latest effort to find messaging that reaches the public after the party’s big loss last November. The government healthcare program for lower-income Americans has expanded to about 80 million recipients at a cost of $600 billion.
The concerns surrounding Medicaid came after the GOP budget bill was passed last month, which included $880 billion in committee cuts that will likely run right through Medicaid.
“We are all going to have to come together to oppose the effort to rip away healthcare from the American people, which is why Democrats on Tuesday across the country are having a Medicaid Day of Action in blue states, purple states, and red states to save Medicaid for the American people,” Jeffries said on MSNBC.
Members from both chambers are planning events across the country following Jeffries’s instruction. These events will be tailored to each member’s district and highlight how these possible Medicaid cuts would affect that region.
In Rhode Island, Rep. Gabo Amo (D-RI) is planning a press conference with Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) at a hospital to talk about the impact of cuts on behavioral and mental health.
Jeffries hopes Tuesday can serve as a day of unity for the party, which has been in disarray. Following the feud last week between House and Senate Republicans over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with nine other Senate Democrats, voting to pass the GOP government funding bill to avert a shutdown, this day looks to turn the page on party disagreements.
“Chuck and I agree on the overwhelming majority of issues moving forward, including our effort to oppose the largest potential Medicaid cut in American history. And we’re all going to have to come together, House Democrats, Senate Democrats, governors, elected officials, advocacy organizations, civil rights groups, the democracy reform groups who are doing a tremendous job stopping the Trump administration in court,” Jeffries said.
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) has hosted a handful of events focused on Medicaid since heading home for recess.
The Florida progressive held a coffee event Sunday, serving as a mini town hall, focused on Medicaid and federal benefit programs to address fears from constituents in Central Florida. He also hosted a press conference Monday in Tallahassee with state legislators to talk about the impacts of Medicaid cuts on Floridians. Florida is one of 10 states that didn’t expand Medicaid under Obamacare.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) will hold a press conference Tuesday morning with Protect Our Care and plans to hold a town hall that evening.
These events and town halls come after Republicans were warned by National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC) to stop holding in-person town hall meetings following the backlash Republicans have seen over Department of Government Efficiency cuts led by billionaire Elon Musk. Not all Republican members have backed down from town halls, though.
The Democratic House Majority PAC slammed Hudson in a statement on X: “If you’re going to have the audacity to raise prices and rip away health care from millions of Americans, you should at least have the courage to face your constituents. House Republicans are cowards.”
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This is not the first messaging push Democrats have done for Medicaid in response to GOP bills. Jeffries also held a press conference before the contentious budget bill vote on the issue last month to outline the effects of possible Medicaid cuts, including three testimonies of Americans who would be affected by the possible Medicaid and SNAP cuts.
Republican leadership has denied that the $880 billion in committee cuts would mean a loss of Medicaid benefits after some House GOP members were also concerned about possible cuts to the popular program. But the House Freedom Caucus is openly pushing for Medicaid reforms.
