LOS ANGELES (OC).–Running out of time to save the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] AKA Food Stamps, by Nov. 1, Democrats and Republics know they must do something to stop the current impasse that shut down the government Oct. 1. President DonaldTrump has left the details to Congress to work out any loose ends on budget priorities that Democrats insist must be fixed before they end the shutdown. Without pointing fingers, Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), shut down the government to get the GOP to reinstate $1.5 trillion in Medicaid funding cut out of Trump’s July 4 Big Beautiful Bill. White House Office of Management and Budget Director [OMB] Russell Vought should have know he caused the current collision with Democrats and Republicans.
How utterly foolish to think you could throw people off their government-subsidized health care benefits without consequences. Of all the places to look for savings over the next 10 years, Vought picked exactly the wrong place, knowing the consequences to the 70 million Americans dependent on Medicaid and its subsidized health insurance under the Obamacare program. Jeffries and Schumer said enough-is-enough refusing to budge on the necessity to restore all the lost Medicaid funding in Vought’s Big Beautiful Bill. Republicans needed to get together in the House and Senate to create a new appropriations bill that would fully fund the Medicaid program. If Republicans had done that, they wouldn’t face the current mess caused by a government shutdown. Jeffries and Schumer refused House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) offer of a clean continuing budget resolution [CR].
Jeffries and Schumer don’t want to haggle with Republicans about restoring Medicaid funding after signing onto a new CR. They want Republicans to pass a new funding bill that allocates all the lost revenue to the Medicaid program. It’s really that simple. Why Republicans refuse to reinstate lost Medcaid funding at this point isn’t clear. Republicans have tried for years to kill the Obamacare program that provides government subsidized health insurance to 25 million Americans. Without restoring Medicaid funding, Obamacare premiums could rise 100% or more making premiums unaffordable to most Americans. Obamacare is part of the Medicaid program, supplying the government funds need pay health care premiums. Republicans proposed a funding bill during the shutdown to pay essential government workers including air traffic controllers and military personnel.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) proposed a separate bill to pay all federal employees including air traffic controllers and the military. But that doesn’t solve the restoration of the $1.5 trillion in lost Medicaid funding. All temporary measures don’t fix a colossal mistake in the Big Beautiful Bill that didn’t recognize the damage cutting Medicaid funding would do to some 70 million Americans. Johnson would spend his time more wisely crafting a funding bill that would restore all of the cuts to Medicaid, satisfying Democrats demands to restore Medicaid funding. Republicans have their eyes of reducing Medicare spending where 65 million elderly and disabled citizens get their health care. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D) said he would consider bringing Johnson’s bill to fund all government employees to a vote, when he needs to restore the $1.5 trillion in Medicaid funding.
House and Senate Democrats and Republicans need to offer the reassurance needed to reinstate lost Medicaid funding. Whatever the differences between Democrats and Republicans, it’s a non-negotiable item that must be restored in the federal budget. Playing around with temporary measures doesn’t solve the problems of long-term funding for Medicaid. Republicans can’t continue to rant-and-rave about how many noncitizens exploit Medicaid benefits in states like California that let undocumented workers apply for Medicaid benefits. Whatever the number of noncitizens receiving Medicaid, it’s insignificant, maybe 2 million. “Right now, Democrats are under a lot of pressure. You got the unions on against them, you got SNAP running out next wee,” said Republican senator who requested anonymity. House Speaker Mike Johnson knows what he has to do.
Instead of playing around with quick fixes that don’t solve the problem, House and Senate Republicans must agree on a supplemental spending bill to restore $1.5 trillion in lost Medicaid funding. Democrats will gladly sign Johnson’s new CR to reopen the government. Americans all agree that Medicaid and the SNAP program are high priorities in any budget including the Big Beautiful Bill. White House zealots like Russell Vought must be reined in to stop his conservative agenda and give Americans taxpayers what they want. Schumer wants Trump to get on board to give House and Senate Republicans the green light to restore Medicaid funding. But it’s not up to Trump under Article 2 to arrange financing for important government programs. That’s the role of Congress and it’s high time House and Senate Democrats and Republicans to do their jobs.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
