House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) said Sunday that President Trump “does not want” the “one big, beautiful bill” encompassing his agenda “to be a health care bill.”
“Medicaid … all falls underneath the Energy and Commerce Committee, not Ways and Means,” Smith said when asked about cuts to Medicaid via the bill on “The Hill Sunday” by NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt.
“But, I will say that the president’s been crystal clear, Chris, that he will not be cutting benefits for individuals, will not allow that,” he added. “He does not want this to be a health care bill. This is an economic bill that secures the border and unleashes U.S. energy.”
Vulnerable and moderate House Republicans have warned Republican leaders in the House that they will not back the bill encompassing the president’s agenda if it features cuts to Medicaid benefits.
Twelve Republican lower chamber members recently sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) outlining their boundary.
“We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.
Earlier this month, the House cleared a budget resolution framework for the agenda bill, which directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to locate $880 billion in spending cuts through the next decade, which analysts have said is impossible without Medicaid changes.
