Republicans resume discussions over cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs

Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives have resumed talks with their members over thorny issues in the reconciliation package, like potential cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs.

May 05, 2025

The below article has been translated.

Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives have resumed talks with their members over thorny issues in the reconciliation package, like potential cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. 

Markups in the Energy & Commerce, Agriculture, and Ways & Means Committees scheduled for this week are now up in the air pending Speaker Mike Johnson’s conversations with moderate Republicans opposed to a massive proposed cut to Medicaid and the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Republicans have been planning to pass their reconciliation bill, which would cut $1.5 trillion from the federal budget over the next decade and make the 2017 tax cuts permanent, before the Memorial Day recess. 

On Monday, Johnson said that if they cannot pass the legislation by the end of the month, they will do so “shortly after.” 

Last Thursday, Republican leadership postponed votes over the most controversial provisions of the reconciliation bill amid disagreements over Medicaid, food assistance programs, and tax reform. 

For example, one of the issues being debated is a proposal to reduce the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage and to require that state governments help fund SNAP. It is not yet clear whether this proposal would affect Puerto Rico’s Nutritional Assistance Program (PAN). 

Medicaid is under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, which is tasked with approving language that would cut $330 billion over the next decade. Medicaid also accounts for 93% of the costs of programs under that committee’s jurisdiction. 

Meanwhile, SNAP is under the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Committee, which is tasked with approving $230 billion in cuts. 

Republicans must still resolve differences over the tax reforms overseen by the House Ways & Means Committee, including the percentage of state tax payments that can be deducted on federal taxes. 

The Natural Resources Markup 

This week, however, the House Natural Resources Committee looks to pass language that would allow for $1 billion in budget savings, weaken environmental regulations, and boost energy production through oil and natural gas. 

The committee’s markup is scheduled for Tuesday, though it could extend into Wednesday. 

One of the Republican proposals aims to reduce the royalties that oil and gas companies must pay to the federal government from 16.67% to 12.5%, the level established prior to the Democratic reconciliation bill in 2022. 

“The Republican budget is the most destructive environmental bill in American history. It torches clean air and water protections, hands over our public lands to polluters at fire-sale prices, and rigs the rules so oil executives can rubber-stamp their own permits in secret,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California), the committee’s ranking member. 

Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas) has indicated that the legislation would cut the federal deficit by $15 billion. 


By:  José A. Delgado
Source: El Nuevo Día