05/14/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/14/2025 10:43
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) offered two amendments to protect Medicaid in a marathon committee that has lasted for over 22 hours.
"Republicans continue to play political games and scheduled their $880 billion cut to Medicaid overnight, because they know it's unpopular and harmful. I, and my Democratic colleagues, however, are awake and fighting on behalf of the American people.
"I offered two amendments that would strengthen Medicaid and actually reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. To no one's surprise, Republicans voted them down. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle would rather force families to regularly report their employment status just to keep their health coverage - creating bureaucratic hurdles that lead to people losing Medicaid.
"Cuts to Medicaid, which covers almost half of all births nationwide, threaten mothers and babies. My amendment would have codified the lifesaving policy that expanded postpartum coverage from 60 days to a full year. We cannot expect someone to recover from childbirth, return to work, care for a newborn and also scramble to reapply for coverage. That's not healthcare - it's chaos."