The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the Big Brutal Bill this week and—like its House counterpart—it’s devastating for nutrition and health care programs for vulnerable communities.
The Senate proposal includes the largest cut to SNAP in history, as part of a budget package that guts basic needs programs.
The bill also contains the largest cuts to Medicaid in history, and will result in 16 million people losing their health insurance. A recent analysis of the House-passed bill found that because of the cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and reduced staffing requirements at nursing homes, 51,000 people will die each year.
Additionally, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as many as 330 rural hospitals nationwide could close or reduce services as a result of this bill. And, new research shows that cuts to Medicaid along with SNAP will reduce jobs by 1.2 million nationwide, equivalent to about a 0.8% increase in the unemployment rate.
Cutting the heart out of basic needs programs including SNAP and Medicaid doesn’t save states or the federal government money—it denies care and creates bigger problems down the road, shifting the burden to service providers, local governments, and taxpayers. This will lead to higher costs and more strain on budgets—household and state budgets alike. And it will cost lives.
It’s not too late to change course. Now more than ever, it’s critical that the Senate act to protect health care, nutrition, and other essential services that help millions of families meet their basic needs. We should strengthen support for these programs—not take them away
3:00 PM
Hosts:
Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Raúl Grijalva
Sponsors:
The Center for Economic and Policy Research, the Washington Office on Latin America and the U.S. Network for Democracy in Brazil.
Location:
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
Room 2325
Please join us for a screening of the short documentary “I, A Black Woman, Resist” followed by a discussion with two leading experts on racism and feminism in Brazil about the life and legacy of Afro-Brazilian leader Marielle Franco, a staunch critic of police brutality and state-sanctioned violence who was assassinated on March 14, 2018.
Deeply rooted in the longstanding tradition of Black Feminist activism in Brazil, Marielle Franco dedicated herself to speaking truth to power and to uplifting and empowering marginalized communities in Brazil up until the final moments of her life. Featuring a first-hand account from Dr. Barber of the last event that Marielle attended at Casa das Pretas (Black Women’s House) on the night of her assassination, this short documentary seeks to raise awareness, build consciousness, and facilitate dialogue around the necessity of transnational solidarity in the fight against racism and the global struggle for Black Lives.
Co-Director Dr. Sharrelle Barber will speak and answer questions about her inspiration to create this documentary that bears witness to Marielle Franco’s life. Dr. Gladys Mitchell-Walthour will discuss the broader context of human rights and democracy in Brazil and the status of the Afro-Brazilian rights movement at this challenging juncture in the country’s history.
Please RSVP and direct questions to Marilyn.Zepeda@mail.house.gov.