AFSCME GO: Federal Budget Update

A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT SAUNDERS

AFSCME Family:  

We want to give you a real‑time update on what’s happening on Capitol Hill this week. Three major House committees have started to release their portions of the federal budget: the Energy and Commerce committee, which oversees Medicaid, the Agriculture committee, which oversees SNAP and the Ways and Means committee, which oversees tax policy. It’s a complex process that’s moving quickly, and it’s far from over. While things may change, we’re committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. 

These budget proposals will deal a devastating blow to working families and to the public services that AFSCME members provide. Reach out to us for talking points outlining the direct impact of these budget plans. The scale and intensity of the current attacks are unprecedented.  

Anti-union extremists are planning to make the largest cuts to Medicaid in history. Their plan proposes cutting at least $715 billion from health programs and taking away health care insurance from 13.7 million people, including mothers, children, seniors, low-income working people and people with disabilities.

• Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and other care settings will close, with rural communities being disproportionately hurt. Medicaid cuts of this magnitude will crater state budgets, leading to layoffs of AFSCME member jobs.  
• At the same time, anti-worker lawmakers want to cut almost $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), shifting costs onto states. The result? Food assistance for millions of families will be in jeopardy, as states buckle under the financial strain of these and other cuts.  
• Although the specifics of their plans may change slightly over the next week, one thing is clear: the only winners in this cruel budget scheme are billionaires like Elon Musk. They would reap trillions in tax breaks in what is shaping up to be the largest transfer of wealth from a single law in U.S. history.  

This is why we’re not letting up. We are holding events across the country to get the word out to AFSCME members and communities about these dangerous cuts. We’ve put together a budget toolkit to help your efforts, and we’re encouraging members to call their members of Congress directly.