Congress Moves Forward with Budget Plan that Would Cut Medicaid and Clean Air Programs

Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass a budget plan that sets up cuts to Medicaid and clean air programs, despite urging from stakeholders on the health consequences for families. American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer issued the following statement in response:

“Today, Congress passed a budget resolution that sets up devastating cuts to Medicaid and clean air programs. The consequences of these cuts would be life-threatening for children, older adults, people with disabilities and workers. Progress toward cleaner air that the health community has championed could also be eliminated.

“This week, the American Lung Association welcomed advocates from 45 states to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to protect Medicaid, as well as protecting robust funding in our nation’s biomedical research at NIH and lifesaving public health infrastructure at CDC. Advocates included lung cancer survivors and individuals who have lost loved ones to this disease. These advocates illustrated to their members of Congress the critical importance of Medicaid for people with lung cancer and the devastating harm that cuts to Medicaid would cause.

“The American Lung Association is disappointed in Congress’s actions today, but we won’t stop here. We urge all members to oppose these cuts do not become reality in the next stage of the process, as the resolution goes from a budget plan to a reconciliation bill. We must stop the cuts to Medicaid and critical clean air programs.”