Mike Lawler “Forced To Defend Massive Cuts To Medicaid Using Political Spin”

CNN backed Lawler into a corner during a recent TV appearance as he frantically rambled on with his D.C. party bosses’ talking points on their Medicaid cuts instead of giving a clear answer – dodging questions with more of his signature politician doublespeak.

Lawler has to use political spin on his vote to slash Medicaid because he knows his vote will hurt Lower Hudson Valley families and leave tens of thousands without health care.

DCCC Spokesperson Riya Vashi:
“Mike Lawler’s rambling on national television can’t cover up for the fact that he voted for the largest cut to Medicaid in history – TWICE. Hudson Valley voters deserve better than a spineless, slimy politician who sells them out to fund tax breaks for his billionaire backers.”

• Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) is one of three Republicans who won districts where former Vice President Kamala Harris also won in 2024. Now he’s being forced to defend cuts to Medicaid using political spin.
• Speaking to CNN’s Dana Bash, Lawler tried to claim that there weren’t going to be Medicaid cuts because the 2026 budget bill will only kick some people off of Medicaid.
• “You’re conceding eligibility is going to change,” hammered Bash, as Lawler kept claiming “able-bodied” people don’t deserve Medicaid.
• “We are saying to receive Medicaid benefits, if you are an able-bodied adult, we’re not talking about the traditional Medicaid population,” claimed Lawler. “I just, no, I’m not concerned about eligible recipients receiving their Medicaid.”
• “The eligible word is—” Bash began before Lawler interrupted.
• He asked the CNN host if she thought undocumented immigrants should have access to Medicaid. Most states don’t allow Medicaid for undocumented immigrants.
• “I’m not — I’m just asking … I think that people should know that the word ‘eligible’ is going to mean something different,” Bash said.
• Lawler rambled about work requirements, admitting that indeed they’ve changed the meaning of “eligible” for the purposes of Medicaid.
• The total amount of benefit cuts will total $1.02 trillion. It will completely eliminate health care for at least 10.5 million people.

• What people out there want to know and what people in your district want to know is, am I going to lose my Medicaid benefits that I need? You are saying right here, full stop, the answer is no?
• Eligible recipients will not—but people. No, eligible recipients will not—but people are eligible right now. The eligibility is going to change.
• I think people should know that the word eligible is going to mean something different now.
• You signed onto a letter that was just given to send out last week, where you said “protecting Medicaid is essential for the vulnerable constituents we were elected to represent. Therefore, we cannot support a final bill that threatens access to coverage or jeopardizes the stability of our hospitals and providers.”
• And in that same letter, which I have here, you said that the Senate bill went beyond what you were comfortable with. That didn’t change.

• Last week, NY-17 Representative Mike Lawler signed an open letter saying he would not vote for a bill that threatens access to coverage or jeopardizes the stability of our hospitals and providers.
• This week, he voted yes on the president’s “Big Beautiful Bill” which slashes billions from Medicaid in order to pay for tax cut extensions.

###