Reed Slams Republican Budget That Slashes Medicaid to Fund Billionaires-First Tax Windfall and Add Trillions to the Debt

WASHINGTON, DC – Early this morning, after an overnight vote-a-thon, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 to pass a controversial Republican budget framework.  Republicans used unprecedented budget gimmicks to pretend that adding over $4.6 trillion to the debt in the coming years by extending the Trump Tax Giveaways will magically add $0 to the national debt.  The GOP-approved budget likely will lead to severely slashing Medicaid and core programs that families depend on.

Now that Senate Republicans advanced their budget framework, it unlocks a process where both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate will work on the actual details of the legislation, saving their differences to hammer out later.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed voted against the Republican budget, stating:

“Under the cover of late Friday night and into Saturday morning, Senate Republicans set in motion a process that will require massive borrowing and tax giveaways to the wealthiest.  The Republican budget would tear holes in Medicaid and the social safety net that helps Americans when they need a hand.”

Two Republicans, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY) joined Democrats in voting against the Republican budget.