WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) blasted the House Republican “budget for billionaires” that guts health care for children, seniors and people with disabilities to give $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthy. The Republican budget also proposes to add $1.6 trillion in increases to the deficit – a massive burden for hardworking people and younger Americans.

“Donald Trump and House Republicans are stealing from our children and making life more expensive for working families. Their extreme budget will take health care away from children, seniors, pregnant and postpartum women, and people with disabilities to give a massive tax break to billionaires and big corporations. That’s not just wrong—it’s cruel,” said Rep. Castor. “Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Floridians, including over 85,000 children and 33,000 seniors in my district alone. Slashing essential care means more Floridians will struggle to afford doctor visits, medications, long-term care and critical treatments needed to stay healthy and keep their heads above water.”

Castor continued, “The Republican “billionaire budget” steals from hardworking American families to line the pockets of their wealthiest campaign donors and does nothing to lower costs for my neighbors. It is shameful, and I will stand up to stop these cuts and protect the health and well-being of our community.”

The predatory cuts proposed by House Republicans would raise health care costs for families across FL-14. The plan directs Castor’s Energy and Commerce Committee to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid, leaving 140,421 residents in Florida’s 14th Congressional District alone at risk of losing their health care. The 148,000 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act in the district would see their average premium increase by an average of $430 per year—a stunning 65% increase.

In addition to deeply damaging health care cuts, the Republican plan threatens nutrition assistance for 179,000 people in FL-14 by slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at a time when families are struggling with high grocery prices and still rebuilding their lives after the devastating hurricanes. The plan also threatens numerous initiatives that are lowering costs for American families, including clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA). 

Rep. Castor is committed to fighting back against this reckless Billionaires’ Budget and standing up for Florida families.