House Republicans are wrangling with potential Medicaid program cuts that may become the major sticking point to a final federal budget agreement.
Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson told Newsmax that he is not convinced the budget will be ready by the early July deadline set by House leadership.
Republican Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina is among the House members who are standing firm on medicaid spending reductions. The issue, he said, involves states that raised their spending for the program under Obamacare provisions.
"Here's the bottom line," Harris said, speaking from the House floor. "If we fail to act now, and allow millions more working capable adults to continue to freeload off Obamacare expansion, taxpayers will bear the burden of what will become a $1 trillion program."
Harris said the impact of Obamacare is disastrous: "Obamacare significantly expanded Medicaid and is quickly bankrupting the program."
House Speaker Mike Johnson said that despite opposition from some members of Congress, he is still looking at the possibility of Medicaid cuts to roll back the program expansion under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Politico reported.
Johnson told reporters on Thursday that, "There's still ongoing discussion about per capita caps, but it's a sensitive thing."
Rep. Harris said he believes the majority of Americans would support cleaning up Medicaid roles to allow spending on people he said need the help. "If 30-year-olds living in their parents' house get more federal Medicaid benefits than pregnant single mothers, then it's clear the system is utterly broken and in dire need of reform."
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.