In the latest news on the budget reconciliation bill moving through Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee has announced it has come up with $912 billion in cuts, primarily targeting health care and Medicaid – with at least $715 billion coming from the health provisions.

That means Medicaid is on the chopping block, despite Trump claiming he would “cherish” the program. Medicaid insures 18 million women, 1.2 million LGBTQ+ adults, and nearly half of our nation’s children.

Nourbese Flint, abortion rights expert and President of All* Above All, a leading abortion justice organization, issued the following statement in response:

“What we are seeing from extremists in Congress would be devastating on people’s basic health care. Not only are they attempting to cut billions from Medicaid, a life line in many communities across the country, they are also hiding language to defund reproductive health clinics all over the country like Planned Parenthood, which millions of people rely on for basic care like cancer screenings, STI testing and contraceptives.

“To say this is cruel would be an understatement. These politicians are using every lever they can to deny  fundamental care from some of our most vulnerable communities: families working to make ends meet, people of color, young people, and the LGBTQ community. Because of classist, anti-women, anti-poor, racist policies that already exist – abortion coverage is already banned from being paid for by federal funding for programs like Medicaid. Let’s call it what it is, this is a clear attempt to push an unpopular dangerous agenda on the American people that will strip care from the people who need it most.”

In March, Nourbese wrote a piece for Ms. Magazine about the proposed cuts to Medicaid. You can read her op-ed here. 

CONTACT: madison@unbendablemedia.com