Republican senator sparks UPROAR at angry town hall with harsh comments about Medicaid patients

Daily Mail​

30-05-2025

A town hall erupted into a shouting match this morning when Republican Senator Joni Ernst issued a harsh remark in defense of Medicaid spending cuts.
Ernst was answering questions about the House budget reconciliation package when a constituent in Butler, Iowa shouted 'people will die' because of the proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The senator quickly hit back, telling Friday's town hall: 'People are not - well, we're all going to die.'
Her remark sparked immediate uproar from the crowd, with several people yelling back at her.
'For heaven's sakes. For heaven's sakes, folks,' Ernst replied, seemingly trying to calm the tension. 'What you don't want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable.'
'Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect. We will protect them,' she continued, emphasizing: 'Medicaid is extremely important here in the State of Iowa... Leave those dollars for those that are eligible for Medicaid.'
However, she doubled down on her defense of the budget bill, saying that people who 'are not eligible, those that are working and have opportunity for benefits elsewhere' should not be eligible for Medicaid.
She added: 'SNAP overpayments that the states have been making will need to stop'.
Ernst was answering questions about the House budget reconciliation package when a constituent in Butler, Iowa shouted 'people will die' because of the proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
The House passed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' on May 22 by a one-vote margin, without any votes from Democrats.
The bill is now heading to the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 vote margin. Several Republicans said they will seek to modify the bill.
The 'Big Beautiful Bill' is intended to be an encompassing piece of legislation to allow President Donald Trump to move forward with much of his agenda, with policies ranging from tax cuts to immigration.
But a major focal point of the package is nearly $800 billion in reduced spending in the Medicaid program.
To be eligible for Medicaid, there would be new 'community engagement requirements' of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents.
The new requirement would not kick in until Jan. 1, 2029, after Trump leaves office. People would also have to verify their eligibility for the program twice a year, rather than just once.
Ernst, during Friday's town hall, said the bill intends to prevent overpayment of benefits and stop payments to people who do not qualify for federal assistance.
'When you are arguing about illegals that are receiving Medicaid benefits, 1.4 million, they're not eligible, so they will be coming off,' she told the crowd.
She added that Congress is working to 'strengthen Medicaid by directing the dollars to the people that actually meet the requirements of the program'.
A spokesperson for Ernst told Daily Mail: 'While Democrats fearmonger against strengthening the integrity of Medicaid, Senator Ernst is focused on improving the lives of all Iowans.
'There's only two certainties in life: death and taxes, and she's working to ease the burden of both by fighting to keep more of Iowans' hard-earned tax dollars in their own pockets and ensuring their benefits are protected from waste, fraud, and abuse.'
The 'Big Beautiful Bill' brings large spending increases that the GOP has fought against in recent years, including raising the debt limit by more than $4 trillion over the next two years.
Within the package is about $5 trillion in tax cuts, to be partially funded by repealing or phasing out more quickly the clean energy tax credits passed during Joe Biden's presidency.
Several of the provisions Trump touted on the campaign trail would be temporary, lasting roughly through his second term in office.
The tax breaks for tips, overtime and car loan interest expire at the end of 2028. That's also the case for a $4,000 increase in the standard deduction for seniors.