WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) announced that Tampa health care champion Karen Clay will join her as her guest to Donald Trump’s first Address to a Joint Session of Congress to highlight the harm and higher costs of the Republican budget to families who rely on Medicaid and affordable health coverage.

Karen’s journey began when her son, Michael, was diagnosed with a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy. Like many families, they faced lifetime caps, coverage denials, and restrictions due to preexisting conditions. Instead of giving up, Karen and Michael became well-known advocates, fighting to protect and expand health care access for families across the nation. Michael Phillips sadly passed away in 2020, and today, Karen continues her son’s legacy working full-time as a health care champion with Florida Voices for Health.

Since taking office on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump has prioritized billionaires over everyday Americans—handing over federal decision-making to Elon Musk and pushing an extreme budget that guts Medicaid, Medicare, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Now, Trump is coming before the Congress to demand more cuts that would cause significant harm to families.

“Donald Trump, Congressional Republicans and Elon Musk want to steal health care from children to reward their billionaire donors and friends with massive tax breaks,” said Rep. Castor. “While Trump and Republicans surround themselves with billionaires, my fellow Democrats and I are standing up for people like Karen Clay. Karen has fought tirelessly for years to preserve protections for Americans with preexisting conditions and stop Republican attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and strip health care away from millions of our neighbors back home in Florida. I’m thankful to have Karen as a strong partner as we gear up for the fight ahead to protect health care for Americans across the country.”

"Health care is a lifeline, not a luxury. The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion have helped millions of families get the care they need, yet they remain under constant threat. I’m honored to join Congresswoman Kathy Castor to send a clear message that these programs aren’t just “extremely popular,” they are desperately needed for the close to 72 million Americans that rely on them. We must protect and expand access to health care, not rip it away. Too many lives are at stake," said Karen Clay.