Children’s HealthWatch is gravely concerned by the House-passed reconciliation bill that threatens to dismantle essential programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to dramatically expand immigration enforcement and deliver tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. This bill will deprive children and families of support and severely jeopardize child and family health and well-being, especially harming our youngest children in a sensitive period of development.
The recent reconciliation bill passed along party lines would slash nearly $300 billion from SNAP, our nation’s first defense against food insecurity and a crucial foundation for healthy child development and a foundation for lifetime health. It would also make the largest cut to Medicaid in history, stripping health coverage from at least 15 million people and threatening the health and stability of entire communities.
Children’s HealthWatch research shows that SNAP reduces food insecurity, in turn shielding children and families from its damaging effects and avoidable health and education costs. When SNAP benefits are reduced or cut off, families are more likely to be in poor health and children are more likely to be at developmental risk. Families are also more likely to struggle to afford other basic needs like housing and health care. Similarly, new Medicaid restrictions and red tape will block access to health care, harming child and family health and further straining families and health systems. At the same time, the bill exacerbates income and wealth inequities while continuing to leave behind 20 million children whose families don’t earn enough to receive the full Child Tax Credit and newly excluding 4.5 million US citizen children living in mixed-status households. Gutting programs that work in tandem to support families will increase material hardship and compromise the health of children now and into the future.
Now, the Senate must stand up for children and families and reject these harmful cuts. Children’s HealthWatch remains committed to bringing real-time data to policymakers to show the financial and human cost of these decisions and relentlessly advocate for policies that put children and their health first.