Norton Releases Remarks From Press Conference on the Proposed Cut to the District of Columbia’s Federal Medical Assistance Percentage

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks from today's press conference with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and city officials about the proposed cut to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) in the fiscal year (FY 25) 2025 budget resolution, which she said will catastrophically harm District residents.

"Cutting D.C.'s FMAP would not only harm our residents, but also federal employees, officials and visitors from across the country. It would jeopardize care for children and families from all fifty states who come to our region's renowned hospitals for treatment," Norton said.

"A reduction in D.C.'s FMAP would destabilize our healthcare system and adversely impact the hundreds of thousands of constituents who live, work, and receive care in D.C. each day," Norton said.

Norton's full remarks follow.

Remarks of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

Press Event on Proposed Cut to District of Columbia's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage,

May 2, 2025

Throughout my years in Congress, I have been a staunch supporter of Medicaid, consistently advocating for legislation to enhance its benefits for D.C. residents.

I strongly oppose the proposed Medicaid cuts in the FY 25 budget resolution, especially those targeting the federal match rate for D.C., known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage or FMAP.

Reducing D.C.'s FMAP from seventy percent to the proposed fifty percent would be devastating for the nation's capital. It would create a $1.1 billion gap in D.C.'s local budget, an impact that would be catastrophic. A reduction in D.C.'s FMAP would destabilize our healthcare system and adversely impact the hundreds of thousands of constituents who live, work, and receive care in D.C. each day.

The proposal to reduce D.C.'s FMAP is the latest in a series of attacks on D.C. The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have consistently undermined D.C. from anti-home rule executive orders targeting the District to House Republicans' efforts to force D.C. to revert to FY 24 spending levels by omitting a longstanding provision in the continuing resolution.

In 1997, Congress passed the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act to help rescue D.C. from insolvency. The Revitalization Act transferred certain functions and costs from the D.C. government to the federal government, including pensions, courts, prisons and community supervision of offenders. It also established the current 70 percent D.C. FMAP to reflect these obligations.

Congress also imposes several revenue limitations on D.C. For example, D.C. cannot tax income earned in D.C. by non-residents, depriving D.C. of more than three billion dollars in annual revenue. Nor can D.C. permit buildings to exceed certain height limitations or tax its sizable federal property. These constraints are why our FMAP is set higher than many states-to ensure D.C. can continue to provide vital services despite its restricted tax base.

Cutting D.C.'s FMAP would not only harm our residents, but also federal employees, officials and visitors from across the country. It would jeopardize care for children and families from all fifty states who come to our region's renowned hospitals for treatment. To even consider these cuts is misguided and irresponsible.

I urge my colleagues, particularly those on the Energy and Commerce Committee, to reject all Medicaid cuts during budget reconciliation, especially any reduction to D.C.'s FMAP. The stakes are too high and our providers, our patients and our region cannot afford this.

###