House GOP Targets Medicaid in Bold $2 Trillion Spending Cut Plan

Punchbowl News reports that House Republicans plan to reduce spending by as much as $2.5 trillion in their budget bill.

Sources told Punchbowl that Medicaid and its benefits, as well as the enrollment of new enrollees in the program, could be cut. However, some House Republicans remain skeptical, despite the $4.7 trillion tax cuts.

House Republicans and the Senate are still at odds on how to pass a bill that includes tax cuts and spending for border security and energy policies, which are the cornerstones of President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The chair of the Senate Budget Committee is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who plans to mark up a budget resolution that includes $340 billion for border security and defense spending despite pleas by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to step aside.

Graham wrote on X Friday: “I hope that the House will move quickly, but we can’t let this moment pass and we can’t allow President Trump to stall his America First Agenda.”

Johnson responded in an interview on Sunday: “I admire the Senate’s enthusiasm; we also have it in our House.” “But, as I reminded Lindsey in an interview Sunday, I have 170 more personalities to deal with, while he only has 53 on the Republican side there.”

Senate Republicans want to extend Trump’s taxes in a separate bill later in the year. House Republicans are hoping to get everything done in one bill. Johnson can only afford a few Republican defectors, if Democrats are united against him.

Punchbowl reports that Republicans are concerned about the political consequences of reducing Medicaid and other safety net programs while pushing for tax reductions for wealthy Americans and corporate America.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told Punchbowl that Medicaid was not just for those who didn’t want work or were on welfare. Seventy million Americans now get their health care through Medicaid, thanks to the increased limits.