April 4, 2025
Congress Debates Budget Reconciliation Package
The U.S. Senate is working towards a vote, expected later today, on a budget reconciliation package that would extend the 2017 tax cuts enacted during President Trump’s first term. The House already passed its version of the bill several weeks ago that extends the tax cuts and calls for spending cuts amounting to a minimum of $1.5 trillion with an option to cut $2 trillion. The Senate is expected to vote on a framework for the tax cuts, but wants to make decisions on spending cuts in the months to come. Either way, to pay for the tax cut extension, the Senate will have to consider major budget cuts in order not add to the ever-growing deficit. How this will play out going forward is anybody’s guess, but many are concerned that cuts will focus on social service programs like Medicaid. Medicaid not only provides healthcare to millions of low-income Americans, but it also provides significant dollars that support state budgets. States administer the Medicaid program with a combination of federal and state dollars.
If you haven’t contacted your Missouri Senator to ask for their support of Medicaid, click on the button below.
Missouri House Passes State Budget
The Missouri House this week passed its version of the State budget, advancing a $48 billion proposal that is $2.1 billion less than the one proposed by Governor Mike Kehoe’s administration. One cut to Gov. Kehoe’s budget was an addition of $100 million for child care subsidies to revise how providers are paid. It is expected Senate Appropriations Chair Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) will get those funds back into the budget during debate on the Senate side. During hearings in the House, witnesses spoke about how delays in payments to child care facilities had forced the closure of numerous childcare facilities. The Senate will begin its work on the House budget next week. The budget must be passed by May 9th.
Please consider contacting your Senators today about possible cuts to Medicaid by clicking the button below.
Deacon Tyler McClay