The House Freedom Caucus, a group of Republicans who purport to care about the deficit but voted in favor of the deficit-busting "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” is now retroactively demanding changes to the legislation.
In an unsigned 10-page letter obtained by Punchbowl News, the group of self-described “House conservatives” is demanding that the Senate—which is having its turn to mark up the bill—make more cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, strip out the expanded state and local tax deduction that a group of New York and California Republicans put in the bill, and take out a provision that bans regulations on artificial intelligence, among other things.
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"I think it’s vital for our democracy that people contact their Senators if they oppose a bill, but kind of weird to do that after *voting for* that same bill as a House member," Brendan Duke, an expert at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, wrote on X.
The “House conservatives” want Senate Republicans to end Medicaid provider taxes, which allow states to receive more federal dollars to cover Medicaid expenses, and to change how much the federal government pays per Medicaid recipient. The federal government pays higher percentages of Medicaid patient costs in poorer states, many of which are GOP-led.
"Reform Medicaid further to end the fraud and abuse enabling expansion states to game the system to enrich themselves and subsidize the able-bodied seven times more than the most vulnerable,” the letter demands of Senate Republicans.
The letter also calls for more work requirements and restrictions on people with substance abuse disorders who receive food stamps, a program that helps feed millions of Americans, 40% of whom are children.
The House Republicans spelled out other changes to help President Donald Trump carry out his authoritarian agenda, writing that they want the Senate to, "1) Stop activist (leftist) judges abusing authority to help President Trump deliver, 2) Kill all or most of the new car taxes, 3) increase remittances and other fines and fees on illegals, 4) Fully end any chance of subsidy going to illegal aliens, 5) Be more aggressive on healthcare freedom (a good answer to complaints about Medicaid reforms would be more options), 6) protect states ability to manage AI (currently limited)."
If implemented, these changes are likely to be deeply unpopular among Americans.
Already, support for the bill is underwater, with voters unhappy with the prospect of millions of people losing Medicaid and food stamps. But the changes Republicans are demanding would make even more draconian cuts to the social safety net to pay for more tax cuts for the rich.
As of now, it’s unclear what changes Senate Republicans will make to the legislation, but multiple reports suggest that they might actually take out some of the bill’s current cuts to food stamps and Medicaid. And that raises questions about whether the Senate’s amended bill could then pass the House again, which would be required if changes are made.
Of course, the very same House Republicans who are now demanding changes completely caved the first time around as soon as Dear Leader told them to.
Never bet against Republican fecklessness.
Republished with permission from Daily Kos.
