Krishnamoorthi expects Trump to "intimidate" House Republicans into backing budget bill
As President Trump meets with House Republicans on Tuesday to rally support for a massive budget package containing his legislative priorities, Democratic Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi believes the president will try to intimidate people into voting for the bill.
"I think that the president's going to visit, he's going to try to intimidate people into voting for this bloated brochure for billionaires," Krishnamoorthi said. "I think the small ugly truth about this bill is that it piles trillions of dollars in debt on the middle class and future generations."
The bill would make the president's 2017 tax cuts permanent and increase border funding, but cut spending for Medicaid, food assistance, and clean energy spending. The proposal would also add work requirements to some social programs.
Krishnamoorthi said it won't help the middle class, just benefit billionaires.
"This bill is going to basically strip health insurance from tens of millions of Americans, and not only that, but in rural areas and in underserved areas, hospitals and health systems are going to be decimated," he said. "I mean they're going to just close their doors, and that would affect not just people on Medicaid, but people who have private insurance or even Medicare who won't have a place to go for their medical care."
The congressman said the bill is personal to him because he grew up with his family using food stamps, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Krishnamoorthi believes slashing the social safety net would create even a bigger divide.
Democrats strongly oppose the president's budget plan.
"Republicans are trying to jam this big, ugly bill down the throats of the American people," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat.
House Republicans are split. Some say the bill's spending cuts don't go far enough, and want work requirements for SNAP benefits to kick in sooner.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is eyeing Thursday for a final vote.
