Statement from Representative Adriano Espaillat Denouncing Trump’s One, Big Ugly Bill

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following statement in opposition of Donald Trump’s budget bill that will implement devastating funding cuts to critical services the American people rely on: 

“This bill does not live up to the promises that Republicans made to the American people,” said Espaillat. “Americans were told that the Medicaid program was safe from cuts. Instead, we see provisions that would cause millions of Americans to lose their health care and millions more that will have to pay higher premiums and co-pays. Americans were told that Republicans were putting power back in the hands of the states, but we see policies that would attempt to control how states decide to use their own state funding. Americans were told that this bill would reduce the deficit and restore the middle class. Instead, the bill would allow for millions in tax cuts to the very wealthy and add trillions of dollars to the national debt.  

“Donald Trump and Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will result in more than 17 million Americans losing their health insurance by 2034, including nearly half a million residents in my district. These cuts will mean fewer people have access to care, as well as strip safety net hospitals and federally qualified health centers that rely on these programs, Medicare and Medicaid, for the services they offer. 

“Today, I stood with the American people and my constituents to vote against this bill and will continue my efforts to combat these and other horrific policies being put forth by Trump Republicans that will negatively impact all of us.”

###

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov