'Not gonna vote for Medicaid cuts': GOP infighting embroils budget process

Published: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 4:57 pm

GOP Budget Battle: Medicaid Cuts Remain a Third Rail

House Republicans are facing a major hurdle in their quest to extend President Donald Trump's tax cuts: Medicaid. A new report from NOTUS reveals deep divisions within the party, making it difficult to craft a budget bill. The core issue? Many Republicans, particularly those in vulnerable districts, are wary of touching Medicaid, a program that provides healthcare to millions, fearing voter backlash.

The budget process is proving to be a minefield. While the House budget proposes $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, the Senate's proposal is significantly less, at around $4 billion. Some fiscal conservatives, like Senator Ron Johnson, are demanding deeper cuts, potentially up to $5 trillion, before supporting the tax cut extension.

The 2017 tax cuts, which added between $1 trillion and $2 trillion to the national debt, are also casting a long shadow. Critics warn that extending these cuts could add an additional $37 trillion by 2054. This financial reality is making it harder for Republicans to ignore the potential consequences of their fiscal policies.

Key figures like Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have made it clear that Medicaid cuts are a non-starter. Even Senator Josh Hawley, a prominent MAGA figure, has voiced opposition to touching the program, citing the significant number of Medicaid recipients in his home state of Missouri.

The lack of consensus on Medicaid, coupled with disagreements on spending cuts, threatens to derail the budget process. The report suggests that even if the House manages to pass a bill, significant differences between the House and Senate versions will likely necessitate a conference committee, further complicating the situation.

BNN's Perspective: The Republican Party is grappling with the long-term consequences of its past fiscal decisions. While extending tax cuts is a priority for some, the political realities of Medicaid's popularity and the growing national debt are forcing a reckoning. This internal struggle highlights the challenges of governing in a divided political landscape, where balancing fiscal conservatism with the needs of constituents is becoming increasingly difficult.

Keywords:
Medicaid cuts, GOP budget, Donald Trump tax cuts, Republican infighting, budget cuts, Senate, House, Josh Hawley, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, fiscal conservatives, national debt, NOTUS, budget process, spending cuts, tax cuts extension, political third rail, vulnerable Republicans, blue states, battleground districts.

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