VIDEO: Rep. Stansbury Slams GOP Scheme to Kick Millions off Medicaid, Food Assistance

WASHINGTON D.C. – Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) slammed House Republicans’ efforts to advance the devastating reconciliation bill this week that would increase taxes for our lowest-income working Americans, and gut healthcare and food assistance programs to give billionaires permanent tax breaks. 

Watch video remarks here. 

“Republicans have repeatedly doubled down on their efforts to sacrifice the families in pursuit of tax breaks for their billionaire donors,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “From forcing single parents and elders off SNAP, kicking an estimated 13.7 million Americans of health care, to gutting historic investments in climate and clean energy, this bill is nothing short of devastating for families in New Mexico.” 

In New Mexico, 60% of all children, 52% of adults with disabilities, and 67% of our elders in nursing homes rely on Medicaid for health care. This extreme legislation forces the largest Medicaid cuts in history to achieve Republicans’ goals of giving permanent tax breaks to billionaires. This plan also takes aim at the Affordable Care Act. If enacted, a 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 in NM-01 would see their health insurance costs increase by $12,238 per year — a 169% increase in premiums. 

The Republican plan also guts environmental protections while raising energy costs for families nationwide. It opens protected lands to mining and drilling, and the dismantling of hard-won climate protections in the Inflation Reduction Act.  

The bill represents the largest cut to food assistance in American history—in total, the Republican plan will cut $300 billion in food assistance from the hungry. More than 34% of children in New Mexico rely on SNAP for food assistance, the highest percentage in the nation. The Republicans’ bill would add burdensome red tape requirements for single parents and elders, making it harder for Americans to put food on the table amid sky-high grocery prices. These cuts would also lead to billions in losses for farmers whose work is supported by SNAP purchases, adding to the pain of Trump’s tariffs.  

“Simply put, the Republican budget is a betrayal of our working families,” Rep. Stansbury concluded. “President Trump’s shakedown of the American people—enabled by House Republicans, continues. I’ll continue to fight against this catastrophic reconciliation bill and work toward real solutions to lower costs for New Mexicans and the nation.”  

The reconciliation bill is scheduled to be heard in the Rules Committee on Monday and is expected to head to the House Floor next week. The bill will then move to the U.S. Senate for further consideration. 

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