House Committee Chairman Accuses Democrats of Misrepresenting Healthcare Bill
Washington D.C. – House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) has leveled strong accusations against Democrats, alleging they are intentionally misrepresenting the Republican healthcare bill, often referred to as “Trumps big, beautiful bill”. Guthrie asserts that Democrats are engaging in a campaign of fear to mislead the American public about the bill’s actual content and potential impact.
In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, Guthrie expressed his frustration with what he perceives as a deliberate effort to distort the bill’s provisions. He claims Democrats are circulating inaccurate reports that include policies not present in the legislative text.
“Now, Democrats are pedaling incorrect reports that include policies that aren’t even in the bill,” Guthrie stated, emphasizing the need for accurate information and a fair assessment of the proposed legislation.
Guthrie clarified that the bill aims to refocus Medicaid resources on specific vulnerable populations, including mothers, children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly. He argued that the legislation is designed to prevent the program from being utilized by illegal immigrants and able-bodied adults who choose not to work.
The Kentucky Republican specifically addressed his committee’s role in the bill, noting that the text of their portion was released late Sunday night. The Energy and Commerce Committee, with its expansive jurisdiction over federal health programs, telecommunications, and energy, was tasked with achieving at least $880 billion in spending cuts to offset other priorities outlined in the bill.
This target represents the largest share of spending cuts assigned to any of the 11 committees involved in the budget reconciliation process. Some committees have even received additional funding to support President Trumps priorities related to tax cuts, defense, immigration, and border security.
According to Guthrie, the committee exceeded its target, identifying over $900 billion in savings.
Democrats swiftly criticized the legislation, viewing it as evidence of Republican plans to significantly cut Medicaid funding. However, a closer examination of the details released on Sunday suggests that House GOP leaders may have softened some of the more drastic cuts to the low-income healthcare program that had been advocated for by some conservative lawmakers.
One of the key provisions of the bill introduces a new work requirement for certain able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid. Under the proposal, individuals aged 19 through 64 would be required to work 80 hours per month to maintain their eligibility.
The legislation also seeks to implement stricter controls on state spending of funds allocated for expanded Medicaid populations. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed states to expand Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level. The bill proposes to limit federal reimbursement dollars to states that provide Medicaid coverage to illegal immigrants, thereby shifting a larger portion of the cost to the states themselves.
Furthermore, states with expanded Medicaid populations would be mandated to conduct eligibility checks every six months to prevent potential abuse of the system. The bill also includes a moratorium on any new state provider taxes, while freezing existing rates. State provider taxes are fees imposed by states on healthcare providers, which help states secure additional federal funding for Medicaid.
In response to the release of the bill, New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the ranking Democrat on the committee, released a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projection requested by his party. The projection estimates that at least 13.7 million people would lose health insurance under the Republican Medicaid proposals.
Pallone accused Republicans of releasing the bill under the cover of night to conceal their true intentions. He argued that the proposed cuts go far beyond trimming waste and instead strike at the core of healthcare access for millions of Americans.
“Let’s be clear, Republican leadership released this bill under cover of night because they don’t want people to know their true intentions,” Pallone stated. “This is not trimming fat from around the edges, it’s cutting to the bone. The overwhelming majority of the savings in this bill will come from taking healthcare away from millions of Americans. Nowhere in the bill are they cutting ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ – they’re cutting people’s healthcare and using that money to give tax breaks to billionaires.”
Guthrie strongly refuted the calculations presented in the Democrats’ press release. He accused his colleagues of inflating the estimated coverage loss to create fear and score political points.
“It is reckless that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle claimed an artificially high number in alleged coverage loss just so they can fearmonger and score political points,” Guthrie said. “This reconciliation is a win for Americans in every part of the country, and it’s a shame Democrats are intentionally reflexively opposing commonsense policies to strengthen the program.”
Republicans are scheduled to advance the Energy and Commerce portion of the bill on Tuesday afternoon. If approved by the committee, it will be incorporated into the final bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hopes to pass the bill through the House by Memorial Day.