Rep. John James and Rep. Tom Barrett Voted to Cut Medicaid and SNAP to Fund Billionaire Tax Breaks and Triple ICE Budget

Following a week of uncertainty on whether or not the government would shut down, many are concerned this battle has yet to be resolved. Last summer, Congressmen John James and Tom Barrett voted for the Republican Tax Law that made the largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in history, in order to fund tax breaks for billionaires and to nearly triple ICE's budget.

The Republican Tax Law cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid and is expected to upend the lives of over 30,000 people between Rep. James and Barrett’s districts over the next 10 years. The bill also made the largest cuts to SNAP, which will likely affect the over 20,000 people who rely on food assistance in MI-07 and MI-10. Instead of helping families afford health care and food, the law prioritized trillions in tax cuts benefiting the ultra-wealthy and made ICE the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency.

“Cutting healthcare for children, seniors, and veterans across our community, while handing tax breaks to billionaires and increased funding for ICE is not working on our behalf. It is prioritizing the wealthy, at our expense.” said MI-10 resident and U.S. Air Force Veteran Joel Rutherford. “As someone who put everything on the line for this country, I believe this situation is a moral failure on the part of Republicans in Congress, especially John James and Tom Barrett, who, without fail, continue to support policies that make life more difficult for their constituents.” 

"Families rely on Medicaid for their medication and doctor visits. Families need SNAP benefits to make sure their children are fed before going to school. The fact that John James and Tom Barrett voted to cut healthcare so billionaires could get tax breaks and so ICE could get tens of billions of dollars is beyond reprehensible, it is legislative malpractice," said Steve Lawson, Executive Director of Michigan Families for Fair Care. "We have people across these districts who have worked their entire life and now struggle to afford prescriptions, food, housing, heat, you name it. All because Representatives James and Barrett chose corporate profits and funding ICE over people’s health. Reps. Barrett and James need to restore funding for SNAP and Medicaid to lower cost for working families."

Congress Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid for ICE funding makes it clear where our elected officials’ priorities are, it is not to make life more affordable for families to afford health care and food, but to protect the interest of the ultra-wealthy at our expense.