A Wake Up Call for House Members: Constituents Protest House Budget Resolution


February 20, 2025

It is a whirlwind week in the states as thousands of people hold recess week events and protests – especially in key districts – urging their representatives to oppose the House budget resolution that would make major cuts to public programs like Medicaid in order to give tax cuts to the rich and corporations.

Members of Congress are already feeling the pressure:

  • Many in the GOP, including Steve Bannon and Josh Hawley, quickly acknowledged that threatening Medicaid is a bad move for the GOP.

  • Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08), who sits in a competitive district in northeastern PA, commented that he could not take cuts to Medicaid and other public programs home to his constituents and would reject his party’s budget resolution.

  • Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-2) publicly defended Medicaid and discouraged cuts: “I’ll be very blunt — Medicaid isn’t just something for people who don’t want to work or on welfare…Seventy-million people in this country get their health care through Medicaid now, because we increased the limits.”

  • The pressure is on in largely rural states and districts where Medicaid makes up a considerable part of people’s health coverage – and hospital revenue. Similar with SNAP benefits.

  • Rep David Valado (CA-22), a Republican who represents a swing district in central CA, has publicly expressed concerns with cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, which are widely used in his district.

  • Rep. Andy Ogles (TN-05) said he wants to pursue alterations to the budget plan.

  • Senator Hawley (R-MO), again, acknowledged that Medicaid cuts are a political loser for the GOP.

  • Senator Murkowski (R-AK) has spoken up about damaging cuts.

It is absolutely no wonder that the House budget resolution is “in trouble.”

House Recess Week of Action Highlights (so far):

IL: On Monday, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and nine other members of the Illinois delegation hosted a Stand Up for Working Families press conference with the group Citizen Action/Illinois (@CitizenActionIL) and others. Citizen Action/Illinois announced a new state-wide campaign to reject cuts. Find coverage here and more photos here and here.

NY: Over 100 constituents, including students and parents, showed up at Rep Mike Lawler’s district office to protest education cuts (Videos here). Indivisible organized a Listen to the People! rally at Rep. Nick LaLota’s Long Island district office (see press coverage and social media engagement) urging the congressman to hold a town hall to speak to constituents directly.

NJ: Following their meeting with GOP Rep Tom Kean’s office, NJ Citizen Action (@NJCitizenAction), called out their rep’s apparent lack of commitment to protecting Medicaid.

PA: Pennsylvanians Together (@PennsylTogether, @PennPolicy) held two major “We Demand Change” marches with hundreds of workers, teachers, and students turning out. They have more to come this Thursday with an event focused on protecting the state’s budget. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is keeping people informed with a piece on how a federal funding freeze threatens area food banks.

MN: Minnesotans turned out in droves to their state capitol on Tuesday for a Fund Our Future rally organized by We Make MN (@wemakemn). See photos here and VIDEO: “Deb Howse, a Home Care Worker for more than 30 years shared a powerful message yesterday on the stage in front of hundreds - we can stand up to the billionaires. We have to.” Coverage in the Minnesota Reformer here.

AZ: Arizonans put pressure on Rep. Juan Ciscomani to reject funding cuts and DOGE actions by protesting outside of one of his in-district fireside chat events.

IA: Iowans visited the offices of Sen. Grassley, Sen Ernst, and Rep. Miller-Meeks (R-IA-1) to urge them to protect vital programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

NE: Nebraska for Us (@NebraskaForUs) held a Presidents Day People Power Action event with the ACLU, a Virtual Day of Action on Tuesday, and will host in-person community conversations on access to health care and nutrition this Thursday and Saturday.

NC: In a new op-ed, Alexandra Sirota, ED of the NC Budget & Tax Center (@ncbudgetandtax), argues that North Carolinians’ stability is threatened by declining revenues and federal budget cuts.

Additionally:

  • Last week, Fair Share America’s tele-town hall with Families Over Billionaires and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) drew in over 23,000 people from around the country.

If you’d like to speak to a source about the actions being taken to oppose the House Budget resolution and Trump tax cuts for the rich, please contact ashley@fairshareusa.org or Kristin@fairshareusa.org.