Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after voting against the Republican reconciliation bill:
“I voted no on Republicans’ budget bill. I watched in disgust as Republicans cheered for the largest cut to health care and food assistance in American history.
“This bill will rip health care away from an estimated 17 million Americans, including 535,849 in Illinois. These funding cuts will also have disastrous impacts on the health infrastructure so many rely on: 93 nursing homes in Illinois will be at risk of closure, rural health clinics and hospitals could be forced to shut their doors, and essential health services for seniors, people with disabilities, and children will be reduced or eliminated entirely.
“At a time when Trump’s economic policies are driving up the cost of everyday necessities, this bill also puts 42 million Americans at risk of losing their food assistance or seeing it reduced.
“These cuts are being made to fund trillions in tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy, while saddling our children and grandchildren with an extra $3.4 trillion in debt. That’s not fiscal responsibility—it’s cruelty.”
Congressman Foster will host a roundtable discussion , at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 10, at Northern Illinois Food Bank, 273 Dearborn Court, Geneva, in response to the GOP budget, which includes nearly $200 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
—Office of Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11)