Davids Opposes Partisan Bill That Slashes Health Care, Food Assistance to Benefit Billionaires

Today, Representative Sharice Davids released the following statement after voting against President Trump and U.S. House Republicans’ extreme budget that cuts health care and food assistance for hardworking families to pay for tax giveaways for billionaires and ultrawealthy corporations. 

“This budget is not just out of touch — it’s dangerous, irresponsible, and means higher costs for hardworking Kansans,” said Davids. “It rips health care away from thousands of Kansans, takes food off the tables of hardworking families, all to hand massive tax giveaways to billionaires and the ultra-wealthy at the expense of our neighbors. I introduced common-sense amendments to protect Kansas families, but House Republicans rejected every one of them. I won’t stop pushing for policies that put people first — not politics or powerful donors.”

Background: 

President Trump and U.S. House Republicans are pushing a budget that would make the largest cuts to Medicaid and emergency food assistance in American history — all to fund more than $1 trillion in tax giveaways for billionaires. These extreme cuts would gut programs that help Kansans afford food and stay healthy. In response, Davids introduced a slate of amendments aimed at protecting Kansas families and restoring common sense and stability to our economy. Every single one was rejected.

How This Bill Hurts Kansans: Raising costs on the middle class so billionaires pay less

• HIGHER Health Care Costs: The Joint Economic Committee estimates that more than 16,000 people in Kansas’ Third District would lose health care coverage under this bill — including 13,000 through the Affordable Care Act and another 3,000 through Medicaid. These cuts would lead to more hospital closures, reduced services, and worse care for all Kansas families, especially in rural communities, where more than half of hospitals are already at risk of shutting down.

• HIGHER Grocery Costs: In Kansas’ Third District alone, 8,000 households could lose access to the emergency food assistance they rely on through this bill. Also, up to 27,000 grocery stores nationwide may be forced to close due to lost revenue, worsening food deserts, especially in rural communities. These cuts would reduce farm income by more than $30 billion and threaten good-paying jobs.

• HIGHER Deficit: The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget reported that this Trump-backed bill would add at least $5 trillion to the national deficit through 2034. The bill would also increase our national debt by 17 percent. Such high levels of borrowing could substantially boost interest rates, slow economic growth, and spark a debt spiral.

• LOWER Taxes for Billionaires: The Republican budget actually raises taxes on the lowest-income families in the country, all while billionaires who already pay next to nothing in taxes get more breaks. This bill shows exactly where U.S. House Republicans’ loyalties lie: not with the hardworking Americans who sent them to Congress, but to Trump and their billionaire donors.