Expected Medicaid cuts in President Trump's tax bill draw the ire of Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke out Sunday against expected cuts to Medicaid in President Trump's budget bill.
CBS News New York discussed the legislation with New Yorkers who would be directly impacted.
Here's some of what's in Mr. Trump "big, beautiful bill"
The spending bill that Mr. Trump calls one "big, beautiful bill," narrowly passed the House by one vote in late May. Opponents say it includes hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- also known as SNAP -- and Medicaid.
Hochul and Jeffries addressed New Yorkers at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, calling the cuts devastating.
"Have they no heart? No compassion? Were they not raised in a country where people take care of each other?" Hochul said.
On "Meet the Press," House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the bill.
"Our legislation preserves Medicaid, strengthens Medicaid, for the people who actually need it and deserve it and we're gonna get rid of the fraud, waste, and abuse and that is a long time overdue," Johnson said.
The legislation requires at least 80 hours a month of community service for what's considered "able bodied" people who are unemployed in order for them to qualify for Medicaid.
"You're telling me that you're gonna require the able bodied, these young men for example, to only work or volunteer in their community for 20 hours a week and that's too cumbersome for them? I'm not buying it. The American people are not buying it," Johnson said.
"All we needs is four to do the right thing"
Before the bill moves to a Senate vote this month, Jeffries is asking that Republicans not in favor of it vote against it.
"All we need are four Republicans in the United States Senate. There are 53. All we needs is four to do the right thing," Jeffries said.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky is among the handful of Senate Republicans who who are against the bill, saying the cost is too high.
"Look, I want to vote for it. I'm for the tax cuts. I've voted for the tax cuts before. I want the tax cuts to be permanent, but at the same time, I don't want to raise the debt ceiling $5 trillion," Paul said.
Some New Yorkers upset over expected cuts to Medicaid
Denise St. Bernard is a health care workers who has a 31-year-old son who suffers from severe mental illness which keeps him from living on his own, and working.
"Losing Medicaid, it would be devastating, to him and also me," St. Bernard said. "If they cut Medicaid, then he'll be on the street, he'll be homeless. I can no longer house him because of the severity of his mental illness," St. Bernard said.
For now, New Yorkers in need of the funds are not backing down. The Senate is slated to vote on the bill in late June.
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