Subcommittee Democrats Denounce Republican Efforts to Eliminate Critical Federal Assistance Programs

Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2025)—Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Healthcare and Financial Services, led Subcommittee Democrats in condemning Republican efforts to dismantle vital programs that provide lifesaving and life-changing support for Americans across the country.  

“For families like mine, access to public housing and SNAP served as a critical social safety net and allowed us to bounce back from financial adversity.  It remains today true for tens of millions of struggling Americans,” said Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi in his opening statement.  

He continued, “House and Senate Republicans are discussing a $2 trillion cut to Medicaid – almost one-third of funding; this does not sound to me like rooting out waste and fraud.  It sounds like forcing tens of millions of children, pregnant women, seniors, and people from programs they desperately need.” 

The hearing included testimony from Michael Linden, Senior Policy Fellow, Washington for Equitable Growth; Robert Rector, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Health and Welfare, The Heritage Foundation; and Patrice Onwuka, Director, Center for Economic Opportunity, Independent Women’s Forum. 

Committee Democrats underscored how federal spending is an investment in the American people and leads to a stronger, more equitable economy. 

• Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi emphasized, “helping our neighbors through safety net programs is good economic policy,” pointing out that “the USDA found that in an economic downturn, every dollar in additional SNAP benefits leads to a $1.54 increase in gross domestic product.” 
   
• Rep. Emily Randall reflected on the significant beneficial impact social safety net programs have on families like hers, stating that her sister was able to access needed medical care due to Medicaid expansion in Washington state and because of that program, her sister was “able to survive [her medical condition] and thrive in our family.” 

Committee Democrats highlighted how Republican efforts to dismantle the programs millions of Americans rely on will only harm our communities, including the communities they were sent to Congress to represent.   

• Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi, based on his own personal experience with public assistance as a child, stressed the stakes of undermining the social safety net, saying “I’m not going to silently acquiesce to this Congress turning its back on hungry, frightened, cold children or their families anywhere in this country who need help in order for the majority to pay for tax cuts for special interests.  That’s wrong.” 
   
• Rep. Randall pointed out the downstream effect of cutting social safety net programs when people need it most, noting that Washington state’s experience in reducing programs in the wake of the Great Recession resulted in “a greater strain on the budget long-term” because of the knock-on effects of insufficient public support. 
   
• Rep. Lateefah Simon stressed the devastation that would result from Republicans’ slashing of Medicaid, asking “what the effects could be on our low-income families” if $2 trillion were removed, to which Michael Linden replied such a reduction “would cut millions of people from their life-saving healthcare.  And for what?  To fund tax cuts for billionaires?” 

Committee Democrats emphasized how Republicans are enabling waste and corruption in federal programs across the board with the firing of inspectors general, career prosecutors, and program experts. 

• Rep. Wesley Bell expressed dismay at the Trump Administration’s purge of inspectors general, pointing out that “without independent inspectors general at the wheel, effective oversight diminishes, the programs that Congress established become far more vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse.”