U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, criticized a Democratic proposal regarding Medicaid in remarks delivered on the Senate floor Wednesday. Barrasso argued that recent Republican legislation, referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” had strengthened Medicaid, while he claimed Democrats were seeking to weaken it by expanding benefits to groups he described as not intended for coverage.
“I just heard the Minority Leader once again come to the United States Senate chamber and cry wolf. This time it’s about Medicaid reform. Let’s be very clear. We need to strengthen Medicaid, and we did that in the bill that we just passed and was signed into law. But the Minority Leader once again puts fear above the facts,” Barrasso said.
Barrasso stated his opposition to extending taxpayer-funded health care benefits under Medicaid to illegal immigrants and able-bodied adults who do not work. “He’s upset. He’s upset because Republicans are asking able-bodied adults to work if they want to receive taxpayer-funded health care benefits. He also is upset because Republicans believe that illegal immigrants should not receive Medicaid benefits,” Barrasso continued.
He further clarified his position: “Let me set the record straight. Medicaid is for the vulnerable. It was never meant to cover able-bodied, working-age adults who refuse to work. Nor was it meant to cover illegal immigrants, which the Democrats continue to embrace.”
Barrasso cited figures stating that more than 1.2 million illegal immigrants and 4.8 million able-bodied, working-age adults who do not work are currently receiving Medicaid benefits, asserting this undermines support for those most in need of assistance.
“Today, there are over 1.2 million illegal immigrants receiving Medicaid benefits. Today, there are 4.8 million able-bodied, working-age adults who refuse to work who are on Medicaid. That doesn’t strengthen Medicaid. It strains it. It weakens it. It makes it harder for the people who need Medicaid – who Medicaid was designed for. It also wastes taxpayer dollars,” he said.
Barrasso advocated for work requirements as part of eligibility for certain recipients: “Work requirements are common sense. They used to be bipartisan. Bill Clinton signed that into law in the 1990s. President Obama defended it in 2008. President Obama said work must be the ‘centerpiece of any social policy.’”
He added: “Democrats today don’t believe that. They think Clinton was wrong. They think Obama was wrong.” Barrasso accused Democrats of supporting policies encouraging dependency rather than independence and referenced Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s comments earlier in the day.
“Republicans believe in a safety net – a safety net to help people reach their full potential, to get back up on their feet,” Barrasso said.
Barrasso concluded by saying no children, pregnant women or disabled persons would lose coverage under Republican proposals but reiterated his criticism of Democratic plans regarding eligibility expansion: “If you’re healthy and refuse to work, it’s a choice you may want to make. But don’t expect the taxpayers to pay for it… But what the Democrats want to do is remove work requirements and continue to fund Medicaid for illegal immigrants.”
He closed with commentary on public opinion polling about party identification: “So, it’s no surprise that they are at their lowest level ever in the polls… Only one in three accept what the Democrats are preaching.”
