The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Sunday released the text of a reconciliation bill that will be considered Tuesday afternoon at the budget reconciliation markup. According to committee chair Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, the bill "supports the rapid innovation of American industry, strengthens Medicaid, and ends spending on Green New Deal-style waste." Western New York Congressman Nick Langworthy, who is a member of that committee, has released the following the following statement in support of the bill:
After five months of tough negotiations and in-depth discussions with key stakeholders, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has delivered a bold reconciliation bill that achieves our top priorities: protecting Medicaid for those who genuinely need it, advancing American energy independence, and ending the hemorrhaging of taxpayer dollars through waste, fraud, and abuse.
From day one, I made it clear that I would fight relentlessly to protect rural hospitals and safeguard access to care -- and as the only Republican from New York serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee, I was proud to help lead that charge alongside my colleagues and the White House.
This bill strengthens the social safety net while restoring fiscal responsibility. Its passage marks a critical step toward delivering on a pro-growth, pro-taxpayer agenda that puts America's working and middle class first.
Let's be clear: if we do nothing, the system goes broke. Medicaid and other essential programs will collapse under the weight of wasteful spending, fraud, and abuse. For too long, these programs have operated with little accountability -- broken systems with no safeguards for taxpayers. That’s unacceptable. We have a duty to protect both the people who depend on these services and the taxpayers who fund them.
That's why this legislation includes commonsense work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents -- just as President Bill Clinton enacted in the 1990s. It was one of the most popular and effective policies of his presidency, helping lift millions out of poverty and into the workforce. We are building on that bipartisan legacy to ensure assistance is tied to opportunity, not lifelong dependency.
We are also removing illegal aliens from the Medicaid rolls. American taxpayers should never be forced to subsidize healthcare for those who have broken our immigration laws. These benefits are meant for American citizens and lawful residents -- not for those who enter the country illegally and exploit the system. This reform is about restoring fairness, accountability, and the rule of law.
Unfortunately, powerful Democrats like Chuck Schumer are already resorting to lies, fear-mongering, and deception to protect the failed status quo. They'd rather mislead the public than admit that change is urgently needed. But we know the truth—and the American people are demanding action.
While Democrats and their special interest allies cling to bloated bureaucracy and broken programs, we are delivering real solutions, restoring integrity to our institutions, and honoring the clear mandate voters gave us to put America back on the right track.
