Representative Smith Statement on the Budget Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Smith (D. Wash.) released the following statement regarding the Republican-led budget bill voted on the House floor today.

“I’m voting no on the budget bill that prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthiest one percent while slashing critical programs for the middle class and adding $2.8 trillion to deficits over the next decade.

“While billionaires and the wealthiest 1% continue to receive massive tax cuts, the very programs that working families depend on—health care, food assistance, and Medicaid—are put on the chopping block. This budget prioritizes the interests of the ultra-rich while leaving everyday Americans to bear the burden.

“Under this plan, people in WA-09 would see their premiums skyrocket, making it harder for families to afford basic health care. For a 60-year-old couple in WA-09, premiums could soar by nearly $17,000, a staggering 234% increase. Additionally, the Republican budget jeopardizes Medicaid access for over 200,000 people in WA-09, including almost 92,000 children and 17,000 seniors, leaving them vulnerable to losing critical health care coverage.

“The Republican budget doesn’t just endanger health care; it also targets the very programs that help families put food on the table. Over 90,000 people in WA-09 rely on SNAP to feed their families, and this budget puts that critical support at risk.

“Instead of investing in the future, the Republican budget piles on debt, adding trillions to the deficit, all to finance tax cuts for those who need them the least. The House budget resolution sets the stage for adding $3.4 to $4 trillion to the national debt. This budget bill shows that House Republicans are not serious about tackling our debt and deficit.

“But while the costs for working families go up, the wealthiest Americans get another windfall—a tax break that benefits the few at the expense of the many. The wealthiest Americans continue to get richer, while the rest of us—those who work every day to support our families—are left to struggle with rising costs and fewer opportunities.

“Children who rely on free school meals, seniors who need Medicaid, and parents struggling to make ends meet would all see their lives made harder while the richest Americans are given more and more tax cuts. This budget isn’t just about numbers—it’s about priorities. It’s about choosing billionaires over working families, tax cuts for the rich over access to health care, food, and security for those who need it the most.

“The Republican budget would hurt families, increase costs, and worsen the nation's fiscal health—at a time when Americans can least afford it. I’m voting no.”

BACKGROUND

INCREASING HEALTH CARE COSTS

• Under the Republican budget plan, the 29,000 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act in WA-09 would see their average premium go up by $1,620 per year — a 50% increase.
• Many families would face even steeper consequences. A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 in WA-09 would see their health insurance costs increase by $16,905 per year — a 234% increase in premiums.

CUTTING MEDICAID ACCESS

• Nearly 80 million Americans receive health care through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provide critical care throughout all stages of life. Medicaid covers everything from childbirth to nursing home care and everything in between.
• In WA-09, the 204,721 people on Medicaid are at risk of losing their health care under Republican budget plans.
• This includes 91,975 children under the age of 19 and 17,000 seniors over 65 in WA-09.

INCREASING FOOD COSTS

• The Extreme Republican budget plan threatens the 95,000 people in WA-09 who count on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to put food on the table.
• Jeopardizes free school meals for the 15.6 million kids who are eligible for free meals because of their household’s participation in SNAP or Medicaid,
• Makes it harder for schools to serve free meals in high-need schools that currently provide breakfast and lunch to all students.  This means roughly 23.6 million hungry children in nearly 50,000 schools could lose access to free school meals.
• Cuts summer EBT benefits—that support over 20 million kids and prevent them from going hungry in the summer.
• Creates additional administrative burden jeopardizing schools’ participation in school meal programs for over 93,000 schools that depend on the school meals programs. 
• Makes it more difficult for families to access the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).  This would limit access to nutritious food and health care for over 350,000 infants and young children.

WORSENING DEBTS AND DEFICITS

• According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the House budget resolution would allow for a reconciliation bill that could add at least $2.8 trillion to deficits over the next decade.
• The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found that when factoring in interest costs, the House budget resolution sets the stage for adding $3.4 to $4 trillion to the national debt.
• Analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that the House budget resolution would allow a reconciliation bill that increases debt held by the public to 125 percent of GDP by FY 2034, compared with 117 percent projected under current law.
• The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has estimated that, under the resolution, deficits would average 6.8 percent over a decade, a full point higher than what is currently projected.

For source information visit: democrats-budget.house.gov/RepublicanRipOff and https://www.crfb.org/