Republicans Block Dexter’s Amendments to Protect Medicaid, Food Assistance, Clean Energy Investments

Dexter: “It’s despicable and an all-out assault on the working families that I came to Congress to protect.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) introduced a series of amendments to Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Betrayal Bill and testified in support of them before the House Rules Committee. Her amendments were common-sense guardrails to protect children, families, and working people from the legislation’s most dangerous provisions. Republicans rejected each one of them.

“Republicans are ripping health insurance away from millions, slashing food assistance for millions more, and gutting our clean energy economy just as it’s gaining momentum,” said Dexter. “My amendments were simple: don’t take health care from families, don’t let kids go hungry, and don’t undercut the clean energy economy in Oregon,” said Dexter. 

“Every Oregonian deserves access to the same safety net I had growing up. Right now, instead of building a world where every Oregon kid can thrive, Congress is giving tax breaks to billionaires. It’s despicable and an all-out assault on the working families that I came to Congress to protect.”

Dexter’s amendments gave Republicans the opportunity to certify that: 

• Medicaid cuts will not lead to the death of children, seniors, or people with disabilities.
• Food assistance cuts will not lead to children, seniors, or veterans going hungry.
• Clean energy incentives rollbacks will not bankrupt working families.

“Republicans blocked every single amendment. They said the quiet part out loud: billionaires are more important than their constituents and working families across the country,” said Dexter.

Watch Dexter’s testimony here.

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