Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) revealed that one of his constituents said they felt that the Republicans' budget bill was like burning down their home.
Speaking to MSNBC's Katy Tur, Kelly said he has a foster mother in his state whose children get insurance through the state as part of the foster care system. There's a concern that the cuts in the bill will trickle down to her family.
Tur read the statistics from Arizona, stating that about 2 million people in the state rely on Medicaid, and 4% of rural hospitals in the state are on the brink of closure. It is estimated that roughly 320,000 people in Arizona could lose access, and about 884,000 could lose their SNAP benefits.
She wondered if he was hearing from voters that it would be a key voting issue for the 2026 midterm elections.
"Well, if they lose their health insurance," he said. "And I think you're right about those numbers, 320,000 people, people like, you know, Kiana Brown, a woman I met who has two kids or 2 or 3 kids she adopted through foster care. One of them has significant health care needs. Because they came from foster care, her kids get Medicaid. She told me that she feels like the Republicans are burning down my house, and my kids are still inside."
He said that folks like her will certainly vote on those issues, but that the more critical issue than the election is trying to stop the bill altogether. He hopes to offer an amendment that would prevent anyone earning over $100 million annually from receiving a tax cut. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is proposing an amendment to halt a tax cut for individuals earning between $25,000 and $50,000 per year.
"I expect my Republican colleagues, at least most of them, to vote against it," said Kelly.
Republicans have been open about the danger the bill presents for them in next year's midterm election, but Kelly said it doesn't matter if the bill would help them in the election; the Democrats still want to stop it now.
See the clip below or at the link here.
- YouTube youtu.be
