“The only humane option is to defeat this bill before it ends up harming us all,” stated the co-leader of Popular Democracy in Action.
On a recent Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, over two dozen individuals were detained for demonstrating against the Republican initiative to slash Medicaid. This move is part of a broader reconciliation bill aimed at cutting programs for the working class while providing tax benefits to the affluent.
“At around 2:00 pm, authorities arrested 25 people for protesting unlawfully in the Rayburn House Office Building,” a spokesperson for the Capitol Police shared with Axios.
“Demonstrating inside congressional buildings is illegal,” the spokesperson continued. “Additional arrests are currently underway.”
The protesters were focusing their efforts on a hearing by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. According to Politico:
Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) repeatedly struck his gavel, announcing that “disturbing congressional operations is against the law and constitutes a criminal act.”
“People are extremely passionate because they are at risk of losing their healthcare,” explained Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who requested that police avoid making arrests if possible. “Many are disabled, and I would hate to see their conditions worsen due to the arrest process.”
Outside the hearing room, protesters, many using wheelchairs, chanted as police warned of further arrests. Julie Farrar, an activist from ADAPT—a disability rights group—mentioned that around 90 individuals from her organization were present, including Medicaid recipients and direct care providers.
Popular Democracy in Action posted videos showing the protesters chanting against Medicaid cuts. One video captured a wheelchair user yelling at lawmakers as he was being escorted out by an officer, “You will kill me! I’m HIV positive. For 20 years, I have survived on my meds that cost $10,000 a month… You see me—I’m from Youngstown, Ohio.”
A Congressional Budget Office analysis released on the same Tuesday suggested that the committee’s plan would result in a reduction of Medicaid enrollment by 10.3 million people by 2034 and an increase in the uninsured population by 7.6 million.
“President Donald Trump and the Republican Party are trying to pull off a daylight heist at the expense of working Americans with this budget,” said Analilia Mejia, co-executive director of Popular Democracy in Action, in a statement on Tuesday. “Their priorities are crystal clear: They disregard the health and well-being of working families, favoring their financial gains, even at the cost of lives dependent on these services.”
“The only humane option is to defeat this bill before it ends up harming us all,” Mejia urged. “Working Americans nationwide should contact their congressional representatives to express how unacceptable this is, and push them to reject the Republican budget proposal.”
As reported by Common Dreams earlier that Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is rallying organizers in swing districts he has recently toured as part of his Fighting Oligarchy Tour. He aims to encourage constituents to lobby their representatives against the forthcoming GOP package.
Furthermore, Indivisible is utilizing its Neighbor2Neighbor tool to link those opposed to the GOP’s proposed reductions in Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other crucial programs that fund tax cuts for the wealthiest.
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