Gutting Medicaid would hurt one-third of the people in U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans’ Colorado congressional district. Yet, Evans voted for a cruel budget bill that would gut Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP to pay for billionaire tax breaks.
That’s why Sharon Sherman and other public service workers like her held an event in Northglenn, Colorado, last week to call out Evans for his vote.
Sherman and other members of AFSCME Colorado said Evans supported a bill that would essentially rob the poor of lifesaving benefits to reward the ultra-rich with tax breaks.
“These cuts are a choice, not a necessity,” said Sherman, a bilingual patron experience associate at a public library. “Health care and nutrition assistance for seniors, people with disabilities, children and low-income families isn’t waste, fraud and abuse. It’s what keeps our communities strong and healthy.”
A study by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing shows that nearly 1 in 3 people who live in Evans’ district are covered by Medicaid. That means 214,218 people — including 8,997 people with disabilities — could lose their health care if this budget is passed.
Nearly one-third of Colorado’s total revenue comes from federal funding. Much of that money supports Medicaid for children, people with disabilities, veterans and senior citizens.
Evans may get another chance to do right by his vulnerable constituents. The Senate on Tuesday passed the House-passed bill. This bill needs the House’s approval before it moves to the president to sign it into law.
Working people urge Evans to vote no the second time around.
Holding Nevada’s governor accountable
AFSCME members held a similar accountability event in Nevada last week.
The purpose of that event was to show how Gov. Joe Lombardo is doing virtually nothing to prepare Nevadans for the pain they will feel if the budget bill becomes law. They also called on Las Vegas’ congressional delegation to help lead the fight against public service cuts.
Members of AFSCME Local 4041 and other unions urged Lombardo to act quickly. More than 27% of Nevada’s revenue comes from federal funding, especially Medicaid.
The workers warned that the budget bill will destroy essential public services ranging from education to health care to infrastructure, hurting all Nevadans.
Rosina Barrientos, a developmental specialist and member of Local 4041, said the cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP “are a direct attack on hardworking families, retirees, children, and people with disabilities.”
“The people of Nevada are being asked to give up health care and nutrition to hand piles of money to billionaires. We say to Congress: Nevadans are not ATMs for the super-rich,” she said. “Stop the cuts.”