After voting for the largest Medicaid cuts in history, Steil and Van Orden’s colleagues are eyeing more reductions to help fund a $200 billion war bill

MADISON, Wis. — In case you missed it, Axios is reporting that House Republicans are looking at cutting federal health care spending to help pay for a budget bill containing as much as $200 billion to fund the Iran war and expanded ICE funding for immigration operations. 

“Wisconsin families are already getting squeezed from every direction. They’re facing higher costs from tariffs, cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, and skyrocketing gas prices and rising costs from the Republican war in Iran,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Now Republicans in Congress want to cut health care even further to pay for a war Wisconsin families never asked for. Congressmen Steil and Van Orden need to get their priorities straight.”

This comes after Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden voted last year for the Republican Tax Law, which included the largest Medicaid cuts in history. Republicans in Congress have also refused to restore health care tax credits, which expired at the end of last year, forcing premiums to skyrocket for many Wisconsin families. Both Van Orden and Steil previously voted to block congressional oversight of the war with Iran.

Axios: GOP weighs health care moves to pay for Iran war

  • “Republicans are considering reductions in federal health spending to help pay for a budget bill containing as much as $200 billion to fund the Iran war and immigration enforcement.
     
  •  It would have the effect of cutting the subsidy amount that some enrollees receive, thereby increasing out-of-pocket premium costs, while saving the government over $30 billion.
     
  • The driving force is the need to pay for the war in Iran and fund ICE, the latter of which triggered the partial government shutdown. Democrats oppose both, leaving Republicans ready to use the party-line process known as reconciliation to get around a Senate filibuster.
     
  • Many Republicans want any bill to be fully paid for, which is where potential health care changes come in.