Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Slams Congressional Republicans’ Push to Gut Social Safety Net Programs During Oversight Subcommittee Hearing

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) denounced Republican efforts to dismantle and weaken critical social safety net programs such as Medicaid and affordable housing during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services. During his opening statement as ranking member of the subcommittee, Congressman Krishnamoorthi condemned recent proposals made by Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump that call for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to be cut by more than $1.1 trillion, a move that would greatly benefit the wealthiest Americans and special interests at the expense of tens of millions of Americans, including millions of Illinoisans, who would lose health care coverage and access to food on the table for themselves and their families.

“Slashing the budgets of these critical lifelines will not magically eliminate inefficiencies,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said during his opening statement. “What it will do is inflict real, immediate harm on our constituents. No matter if they live in red states or blue states. Children will go to bed hungry. Seniors will forgo lifesaving medications. Hardworking families, many of whom are already working multiple jobs, will face the agonizing choice between paying rent and putting food on the table. We must not lose sight of the real-life consequences of these policy debates.”

Throughout his question line and his opening and closing statements, Congressman Krishnamoorthi repeatedly spoke on his own personal experience with social safety net programs. After immigrating to the U.S. when he was only four months old, Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s family depended on housing assistance and food stamps, now referred to as SNAP.

“I’m so passionate about the benefits of the safety net because I’ve experienced them,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “These programs sustained my parents until my father got a great job in, of all places, Peoria, Illinois. My parents realized the American Dream, and they never took it for granted. I haven’t either.”

During his question line, Congressman Krishnamoorthi criticized the Republican witnesses, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, for pushing false narratives surrounding anti-poverty programs and called them out for backing policy proposals that negatively impact working-class families that depend on programs to get back on their feet. Congressman Krishnamoorthi specifically called out former Secretary Carson for calling the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery,” pointing out that 65 million Americans have access to health care because of the ACA.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi went on to point out the hypocrisy of Republicans calling for drastic cuts to programs that help working-class families while backing massive tax cuts and subsidies for large corporations, citing a Cato Institute study that found that corporate welfare costs the federal government $181 billion per year. Congressman Krishnamoorthi also cited a recent Wall Street Journal article that estimates President Trump’s self-imposed tariffs will cost American households at least $2,100 a year and would lower household income by 2.1 percent.

The Congressman’s full opening statement is available here, his question line is available here, and his closing statement is available here.