WASHINGTON — Texas Republicans in Congress are pushing to extend President Donald Trump’s tax cuts from his first term, enact additional tax reductions, as well as cut spending to the federal government.

Democrats warn such steep spending cuts could leave millions of Texans — especially children, seniors and lower-income families — without essential health care as Texas remains the state with the most uninsured people in the country.

What You Need To Know

  • The Republican-led House's budget blueprint directs the Energy and Commerce committee to make $880 billion in cuts over a decade, and popular health care programs fall under its jurisdiction, raising concerns that there could likely be slashes to Medicaid  

  • Texas Republicans argued that savings could be achieved in the Medicaid program by eliminating fraud

  • Texas, which is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid, has the highest uninsured rate in the country for working-age adults, as well as for children, with a rate of nearly 12%, according to a survey by the U.S. Census bureau

  • If Medicaid funding is cut, some health care advocates worry hospitals, especially those in rural areas, will be at risk for closure and that more children will end up being denied care

Try as they might, House Democrats, including from Texas, could not convince Republicans this week to reject a budget resolution that calls for as much as two trillion dollars in spending cuts.  

“Remember when Trump last month was going to bring down grocery prices drastically? Well, the only thing drastic is the pain of this Republican budget,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, a member of the House Budget committee.  

The Republicans’ spending cuts could also potentially slash funding for Medicaid, a public health insurance program.

“It will make America poorer, sicker and hungrier. It will close hospitals and clinics,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, another member of the House Budget committee.

Texas Republicans argued savings could be achieved in the Medicaid program by eliminating fraud.

“Waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program that jeopardizes that program for the most vulnerable Americans and does a disservice to every taxpayer in this great country of ours,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, who is the chairman of the House Budget committee.  

At the White House on Wednesday, President Trump said Republicans were “not going to touch” Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security programs. 

“Now, we are going to look for fraud. I'm sure you're okay with that, like people that shouldn't be on, people that are illegal aliens and others criminals in many cases,” Trump said. 

The Republican budget plan directs the Energy and Commerce committee to make $880 billion in cuts over a decade, and these popular health care programs fall under its jurisdiction. 

“If you are exempting Medicare from these cuts, which is what House Republicans and President Trump have pledged, then that leaves Medicaid, as you know, the primary source of the cuts that are going to be required, under that instruction, under this budget resolution,” said Edwin Park, a research professor at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University. 

Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal government and the states.

In Texas, where more than four million people rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the vast majority of state funding covers children, seniors, those living with disabilities and pregnant women. 

“If you're talking about the cuts that are envisioned by House Republican leadership, they are cuts that either shift costs to states or make it harder for the states to finance their share of cost of Medicaid,” Park said. 

The Republican-led State of Texas is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid.

The state has the highest uninsured rate in the country for working-age adults, as well as for children, with a rate of nearly 12%, according to a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. 

When asked what implications the budget blueprint has for a state with so many uninsured people, Park said, “I think it's just going to make the problem worse, in terms of the uninsured. You're going to have significant increases in the number of people without coverage, particularly among children, and even those who maintain their coverage will have less access to needed care, preventive care, other services.”  

Some health care advocates worry hospitals, especially those in rural areas, will be at risk for closure and that more children will end up being denied care.

“This news is disappointing, because we continue to make children less of a priority, and in order for children to be their best selves, they need the basic necessities, such as medical health care,” said Brandy Taylor Dédé, state director for Children’s Defense Fund-Texas. “Some of the drastic decisions that are being made are impacting children and families, and so they should be at the center and priority of all decisions that are being made.”

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, voted for the budget blueprint, saying it was a “procedural vote” that kick-started the budget process.

“No funding cuts to specific programs occurred because of that vote. Building a budget that cuts wasteful spending, invests in our national security, and protects programs that impact millions of Americans, is a top priority,” said Gonzales’ office. 

Gonzales, who was recently named chair of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, led a letter with other House Republicans to Speaker Mike Johnson urging leadership to keep “critical programs” funded. Gonzales’s office said he met with the speaker to reiterate his support for protecting Medicaid.