News · Press Release

Alaskans Protest As Begich Calls Tax Scam Threatening Their Health Care “A Great Bill for Alaska”

Thursday morning, Nick Begich cast the deciding vote for Republicans to pass their Tax Scam, rubber-stamping sweeping health care and food assistance cuts to give permanent tax breaks for the wealthiest few. Begich wasted no time trumpeting it as a “great bill for Alaska.” He also called slashed funding for food assistance programs – which 1 in 10 Alaskans rely on – “healthy.”

Begich is already hiding from his recent comments: “Begich’s office did not respond to a list of questions about the impact of the bill in Alaska, or about its impact on the federal deficit. Instead, Begich’s office forwarded the questions to a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee… (The spokesman did not respond to the questions.)”

DCCC Spokesperson, Anna Elsasser:
“We’d personally love to know what is ‘great’ and ‘healthy’ about a Tax Scam that leaves tens of thousands of Alaskan families, children, and seniors to go hungry and without health care. If Begich can answer that question, I’m sure Alaskans are ready to hear it.”
Alaska Public Media: Alaskans protest Begich’s support for Medicaid cuts in national budget reconciliation bill

  • Organizers said the Thursday protest was to express public mourning for Begich’s vote. Demonstrators staged a hospital bed and funeral flowers to show the cuts could mean the difference between life and death for some Alaskans.
  • Sarah Krug who attended the protest with her son Zachary, was among the fifty Alaskans there. She said he has cerebral palsy and relies on Medicaid for care. “It’s literally been a lifesaver for him from day one. I work three jobs to make ends meet.”
  • Emily Dhatt, with the Alaska Caregivers Union…said Alaskans aren’t going to let their politicians rip away healthcare from thousands.
  • “It’s all of you who rely on Medicaid, it’s all of your family and friends whose lives are at risk because of what Nick Begich did last night.”
Your Alaska Link: Protesters rally outside Rep. Begich’s office in Anchorage over Medicaid cuts

  • The protesters had a hospital bed with 330 flowers, representing 30,000 Alaskans who will lose health care.
  • Evie McNamee, one of the protesters, feels that the House’s decision could have serious consequences…”They cut Medicaid, they cut Medicare. And this is what’s going to happen…[people are] going to have nowhere to go. They’re not going to have anybody to pay the bills.”
  • Rebecca Reiss hopes to send a message to Representative Begich. “I just really implore you to amplify the needs of your people.”
  • Retired physician Peter Baur says he’s disappointed with the representative’s decision. “It just shows that he really doesn’t have the interests of regular Alaskans at heart, and we need to change that.”

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