Jodey C. Arrington

“The only people who lost Medicaid coverage were immigrants here illegally, people who did not qualify, and people who could work but chose not to. We stand by removing them, and the American people agree with us.”

“Mr. Chairman, the only people who aren’t on the Medicaid rolls today who were on them before were illegals in this country that Joe Biden and Democrats allowed to siphon money away from Americans, people who were ineligible, or people who were able to work but who refused to work for the generous support of hardworking taxpayers. We stand on that proudly. We stand by it, and I believe the American people support us at every step of the way. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman), my friend from the Hoosier State and another proud member of the Budget Committee.”

“Republicans are not trying to hurt vulnerable people. We are trying to cut waste and fraud in government programs, and nonpartisan budget numbers prove it.”

“Mr. Chairman, I respect my friend from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but this false narrative is perpetuated every time Republicans actually go after the waste in this town and the fraud that is being perpetrated on the taxpayers and the vulnerable who need these programs. They start saying that we are kicking the vulnerable off and we are throwing them into the streets. All I ask you to do is look to the nonpartisan CBO, once again, and I include this letter in the Record, Mr. Chairman. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subchapter A. Reducing Fraud and Improving Enrollment Processes: Sec. 71102--Moratorium on Implementation of Rule Relating 0 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Sec. 71106--Payment Reduction Related to Certain Erroneous O O O 0 * 0.1 0.2 * * 0.1 Sec. 71107--Eligibility Redeterminations.................. O O O.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 Sec. 71109--Alien Medicaid Eligibility.................... * 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Sec. 71110--Expansion FMAP for Emergency Medicaid......... 0 * * * * * * * * * Subchapter B. Preventing Wasteful Spending: Sec. 71112--Reducing State Medicaid Costs................. 0 0 * 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Subchapter C. Stopping Abusive Finance Practices: Sec. 71114--Sunsetting Increased FMAP Incentive........... 0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Sec. 71115--Provider Taxes................................ 0 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 Sec. 71117--Requirements Regarding Waiver of Uniform Tax * 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Sec. 71118--Requiring Budget Neutrality for Medicaid 0 * * * * * * * * * Subchapter D. Increasing Personal Accountability: Sec. 71119--Requirement for States to Establish Medicaid O O 2.2 3.0 4.7 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 Subchapter A. Strengthening Eligibility Requirements: Sec. 71201--Limiting Medicare Coverage of Certain 0 0 * * * * * * 0.1 0.1 Subchapter A. Improving Eligibility Criteria: Sec. 71301--Permitting Premium Tax Credit Only for Certain O 0 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 Sec. 71302--Disallowing Premium Tax Credit During Periods 0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Subchapter B. Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: Sec. 71303--Requiring Verification of Eligibility for O O O 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 Sec. 71304--Disallowing Premium Tax Credit in Case of 0 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Sec. 71305--Eliminating Limitation on Recapture of Advance O * * 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Interactions, All Policies................................ * * -0.2 -0.4 -0.5 -0.6 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5 Memorandum: Source of the Change Share With Access to Federally Subsidized: Health Insurance (Percent)a............................... n.a. 53 38 38 33 33 35 36 36 37 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Source: Congressional Budget Office. These estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty. CHIP = Children’s Health Insurance Program; FMAP = federal medical assistance percentage; n.a.; not applicable; * = fewer than 50,000 people. CBO’s cost estimate for P.L. 119-21 is available online. See Congressional Budget Office, estimated budgetary effects of Public Law 119-21, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14, relative to CBO’s January 2025 baseline (July 21, 2025), www.cbo.gov/publication/61570. a. Subsidized health insurance consists of the premium tax credit available to some enrollees for insurance purchased through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act, as well as Medicaid and employment-based coverage. This table presents supplemental data for Congressional Budget Office, letter to the Honorable Brendan F. Boyle, the Honorable Hakeem Jeffries, the Honorable Jeffrey A. Merkley, and the Honorable Charles E. Schumer concerning the distributional effects of Public Law 119-21 (August 11, 2025), www.cbo.gov/publication/61367.”

“Republicans are working together for the American people because of leaders like Steve Scalise. I am giving him time to speak.”

“Mr. Chair, I mentioned earlier that the Republican Party is united and unrelenting in delivering for the American people. That doesn’t happen without a fearless leader and the legend from Louisiana, my dear friend, Mr. Steve Scalise. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).”

“When Democrats were in charge, they raised taxes, added rules on businesses, and spent billions on green energy and stimulus checks. Our policies cut taxes for families, seniors, and workers, and wages are up.”

“Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Just to be clear, when the Democrats had total control, they heaped taxes and regulations on our job creators. They attacked, with a whole- of-government force, against domestic energy producers. They waived work requirements for able-bodied adults. They allowed illegals onto our social safety net. They did give a tax break to green energy corporations. They gave tax subsidies to the tune of $800 billion, along with hundreds of billions of dollars in wasted stimulus checks. Juxtapose that with 127 million Americans getting a doubled standard deduction, 40 million families getting an enhanced child tax credit, 35 million seniors getting the double deduction for seniors, an average of $7,500. Mr. Chair, 7.5 million filers got the no tax on tips, and 29 million filers got overtime breaks, on average over $3,000. By the way, wages are up. That is what is happening because our policies are delivering for the American people and working families. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Moore), my friend and another member of the Budget Committee from the Tar Heel State.”

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“I want people to show a photo ID to vote. Most Americans support this. It will make people trust our election results.”

“Mr. Chair, we gave the Democrats, our friends on the other side of the aisle, opportunity after opportunity multiple times to support what 83 percent of the American people support, which is photo identification to vote in elections in this country. You need an ID to check in at a hotel and to fly on an airplane--in Mamdani’s New York, you need it to shovel snow--but it is not important enough for the cornerstone of this democratic Republic. The American people aren’t fooled. We are not fooled. We are going to do this so that we can continue with this great country of ours and with the confidence of the American people in the outcome of the elections. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”

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“We need to spend sixty-seven billion dollars to keep our military ready. Democrats are complaining about that cost, but their border policies spend nine thousand dollars in taxpayer services on each illegal immigrant. That is more than we spend per person on Medicaid.”

“Mr. Chairman, while my Democratic colleagues are counting the pennies on this defense supplemental, remember, baseline battlefield readiness. That is it, just what they need to do their job. It is actually about $67 billion. Meanwhile, the open-border policies of our Democrat colleagues have flooded our country with millions of illegals. According to NumbersUSA, that is $9,000 per illegal in taxpayer social services, to people who aren’t here legally, aren’t our citizens, and that is more than we spend on our most vulnerable for Medicaid. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Smucker), my dear friend and great vice chairman of the Budget Committee.”

“Democrats voted to send 200 billion dollars to Ukraine without paying for it. Now they want spending cuts before they will give our own troops the money they need.”

“Mr. Chairman, here is the irony: My Democrat colleagues, every single one of them, voted for $200 billion for Ukraine, for their war that would have been prevented, quite frankly, if we had a strong, competent, Commander in Chief at the time. We didn’t. It started. They have sent $200 billion without batting an eye and without giving a penny to offset it. Now they want to talk about offsets when we want to give our troops the money they need to finish the job, be safe, come home. We are proud of them. We stand with them. We are going to support them. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), my friend and fellow Budget Committee member.”

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“Even Senator Chuck Schumer has warned that Russia tries to interfere in our elections. The President and the American people know this is a real problem. We need to protect our elections.”

“Mr. Chair, interestingly enough, Chuck Schumer, Democratic leader in the Senate, agrees. In 2018, he was talking about Russian interference. It turned out to be a conspiracy and debunked. He said that they are actively trying to do it again. Russia is trying to do it again. We must wake up to this fact--these are his words: ``We won’t be able as a nation to fight back against foreign interference in our elections if the Commander in Chief’’--Donald Trump at the time-- ``doesn’t even acknowledge that it is a real problem.’’ I think this President has acknowledged it is a real problem, and I think the American people have acknowledged it is a real problem. I thank the gentleman for his leadership to restore confidence and integrity to the United States electoral system. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”

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“Republicans have cut government spending by record amounts and lowered the deficit compared to the size of the economy. Our policies are growing the economy, raising wages, and bringing down inflation.”

“Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let’s not believe the hype, Mr. Chairman. Let’s look at the stats from the nonpartisan CBO. The deficit per GDP has gone down by over 10 percent for the first time--because this continues to be their perpetual talking point. In 10 years we haven’t seen the deficit to GDP go down. Republicans came to this town, and we drained the swamp of waste, fraud, and abuse to the tune of $1.6 trillion. That is twice as much as this town has ever cut in the history of the United States of America. It was Republicans who put forward the Fiscal Responsibility Act and, according to the nonpartisan CBO, saved $2 trillion. Then we put progrowth policies in that big, beautiful bill and unleashed American investment, which is up 10 percent; and growth, which is up. We had a 3.8 and 4.3 in the third and fourth quarter or second and third before the Democrats shut the government down. Wages are up. Inflation and interest are coming down. More money is in people’s pockets. I would say: Promises made, promises delivered. Mr. Chair, I want to introduce to you the great chairman of the House Administration Committee. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil).”

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“Our farmers and ranchers need emergency help because of droughts, disasters, and diseases. This hurts our food supply. We must feed our own families instead of depending on other countries.”

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. You heard the chairman of the Agriculture Committee. He is talking about emergency support for our farmers and ranchers who, by no fault of their own, are being pummeled by drought, natural disasters of all kinds, diseases like the screwworm. This will affect the food supply. We don’t want to depend on China or any country. We don’t want to beg any foreign country to feed our families. I thank him for his leadership, and I reserve the balance of my time.”

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“Democrats are blocking defense and homeland security funding in the Senate. Our troops are risking their lives, and we must give them the resources they need.”

“Mr. Chair, as you heard from our chairman, while our Democrat colleagues are shutting down the Department of Homeland Security and blocking the National Defense Authorization Act in the Senate, we have our troops standing in the gap, risking their lives for the common defense. They need to be refueled. They need the replenishment. They need the resources to be successful. They need to know we are behind them. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”

“I want the House to pass this budget plan. It gives our military the supplies it needs, protects our food supply, and makes our elections safer. Democrats have tried to block our work, but Republicans are keeping our promises to cut taxes, secure the border, and stop wasteful spending.”

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the American people suffered through 4 years of lawlessness, incompetence, and habitual failure under Joe Biden and Democratic leadership, one self-inflicted disaster after another: border chaos, rampant crime, feckless foreign policy, spending-induced inflation that we haven’t seen in a half a century, a crushing cost-of- living crisis, and the worst regressive tax on working families in this country. In the historic election of 2024, our citizens gave us unified Republican leadership and an unambiguous and unequivocal message. They said that we want strong, competent leaders, commonsense policies, and a commitment to America and Americans first. Mr. Chairman, for our part, from day one, Republicans have united and relentlessly delivered in reversing those failed Democratic policies, delivering on the American people’s priorities, and restoring America’s greatness and the American spirit along with it. Mr. Chairman, we have been doing this in the face of unprecedented Democratic obstruction. They either didn’t listen to the American people in the election of 2024, or worse: They didn’t care. Instead of humble self-reflection and change, the Democratic Party has doubled down on their radical agenda and has hastened their march to Democratic socialism. Their entire strategy has been to resist Republicans and obstruct, obstruct, obstruct the President at all fronts and at all costs, even if it hurts our great Nation, its success, and the safety and security of the American people, sadly. Exhibit A: The Democrats shut the government down for the first time in history when we presented a clean CR to continue the funding of last year until we could work out an appropriations deal. They rejected it, and their demand was to repeal the safeguards that we put in to prevent illegals and ineligible people from draining the safety net that is there for vulnerable Americans. Then, they shut Homeland Security down, and they held not only TSA agents and coastguardsmen hostage, but they held the American people and our security hostage for absurd and dangerous demands that would have returned our country back to the Biden border nightmare, along with endangering our hardworking and brave Border Patrol and ICE agents. The Democrats have gone on time and time again with this unprecedented obstruction. Recently, they blocked the National Defense Authorization Act to protest President Trump and our troops’ efforts to stop this radical terrorist regime from having nuclear weapons. They blocked FISA, which is a critical tool for our intelligence agencies to stave off and thwart terrorist attacks and Chinese espionage and hacking into our critical infrastructure. Mr. Chairman, I could go on and on. Let me tell you what we have done as Republicans, relentlessly, every day, with the commitment to the people who sent us up here. In reconciliation 1.0, we prevented the largest tax hike in our Nation’s history, 22 percent, which would have been on top of the 21 percent increase in prices they experienced from Biden inflation. We gave permanent tax relief to working families and small businesses. We made the largest investment in rebuilding our military, restoring their spirit, peace through strength for the USA. We saved a record $1.6 trillion in rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse that was robbing taxpayers and weakening the safety net for our most vulnerable. Reconciliation 2.0, unfortunately, we had to burn a reconciliation and go at it again unilaterally, Republicans stopping the defunding of ICE and CBP. That is right. We didn’t get a single Democratic vote to fund ICE and CBP, and the only way we turned Homeland Security back on is they wanted to cut them out of the equation. That is what we did with the second reconciliation. Mr. Chairman, here we are with reconciliation 3.0, supporting our troops in their time of need with just baseline battlefield readiness, bullets and bombs to finish the job and to come home safely and victoriously; strengthening our food supply; and, ultimately, we want to safeguard the integrity of our elections. We want to restore the American people’s confidence because as the Founders said in the Declaration of Independence: ``There is no just government without the consent of the governed,’’ and there is no legitimate consent and there is no functioning democracy if the American people have no confidence in this election. Mr. Chairman, it is not just the President. It is not just MAGA Republicans. Nancy Pelosi, in 2017, said this: ``Our election was hijacked. There is no question. Congress has a duty to protect our democracy . . . `’ Well, you know what, Mr. Chairman? I agree with Nancy Pelosi. We have a duty. We have a duty to safeguard our elections. We have a duty to restore confidence in what underpins the will of the people, their freedoms, our common defense, and the general welfare of every American in this country. Mr. Chairman, I encourage not just Republicans but my Democratic colleagues to join us in supporting our troops, safeguarding our elections, and saving America. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.”