Feeling the Pressure From Their Constituents, 3 New York Republicans Ask GOP Leadership Not to Gut Medicaid

New York, NY - Invest in Our New York Campaign Manager, Carolyn Martinez-Class, released the following statement in response to a new letter from twelve Republican Members of Congress, including three from New York, that urges GOP leadership to protect Medicaid for vulnerable populations.

“For months, New Yorkers across the state have made it clear that slashing billions of dollars for Medicaid to fund tax breaks for the rich is unacceptable. It’s about time Reps. Malliotakis, Garbarino, and LaLota say on the record that they won’t vote for a budget reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations. It is particularly telling that Congressmember Lawler chose not to join his colleagues on this letter.

“But talk is cheap. Every single one of the members who signed this letter recently voted to make hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid. The letter falls short of what is needed: a full-throated defense of a program that keeps 7 million New Yorkers healthy. 

“Let us be clear: every single member of the New York delegation must reject extremist proposals to pay for billionaire tax breaks by gutting Medicaid. We will not accept empty rhetoric.” 

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Background: Invest in Our New York (IONY) is a statewide campaign of over 80 organizations fighting for tax equity and economic justice across New York. Over the past few months, IONY and its organizational allies have rallied and protested against federal cuts to social safety net programs to fund tax cuts for billionaires. These include empty chair town halls in NY-11 and NY-17, and Tax Day events across the state.