June 21, 2025

In Chicago, Duckworth and Stratton Join Illinois Health Care Advocates and Medicaid Recipients to Condemn GOP Efforts to Gut Medicaid

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton today joined Chicago-area health care advocates, Medicaid recipients and their families to call out the Trump Administration and Republican’s dangerous, relentless attempts to slash Medicaid with their Big, Beautiful Betrayal. Duckworth spoke in support and defense of the millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid including pregnant women, children with disabilities as well as people in nursing homes—and demanded that Republicans put their constituents’ lives ahead of Trump’s ego by working with Democrats to protect the critical basic needs program. Photos from the press conference are available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

“Republicans told us in Project 2025 that they’d come for Medicaid—and this is one of the rare times the GOP is actually keeping its word,” Duckworth said. “Make no mistake: there’s no way to pay for Trump’s $4 trillion tax break for billionaires without putting it on the backs of Americans who are already struggling to pay the bills. As Republicans threatened health care for 16 million Americans—including 3.4 million Illinoisans—to appease Trump and his billionaire buddies, I’ll keep working with Illinois health care advocates to protect and defend Medicaid.”

“Since we saw the earliest versions of the Big Ugly Bill, it has been clear that Congressional Republicans have no intention of passing a budget that works for all, nor do they care about the harm that will fall on working families if they succeed. Nothing makes their priorities more obvious than the axe hovering over Medicaid.” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “Grandparents thrown out of nursing homes, farmers and rural families with no hospital to call in an emergency – that's who the Trump administration is throwing under the bus to cover a tax cut for billionaires. That’s not who we are in Illinois. Everyone – no matter their zip code or who they voted for – deserves access to healthcare.”

“Mental health is not optional. It is essential. And Medicaid is how we fund it. We must invest in the care that gives people a real chance at recovery,” said Sara Gray, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Illinois.

“The proposed Medicaid cuts would have devastating consequences for older adults and the caregivers who support them. Medicaid is not just a safety net—it is a lifeline that provides access to home and community-based services, long-term care, and essential health coverage. These cuts would threaten the independence, dignity, and well-being of millions of older Americans. We urge lawmakers to prioritize the needs of aging adults and protect the integrity of Medicaid,” said Diane Slezak, President of AgeOptions.

“We are facing some of the most dangerous threats the disability community has seen,” said Karen Tamley, President and CEO of Access Living, a disability service and advocacy center in Chicago. “Congress is considering budget proposals that would slash billions from Medicaid—the lifeline that makes it possible for disabled people to live, work, and thrive. These aren’t just numbers on a page—these cuts would take away life sustaining healthcare, personal care assistants, medical equipment, and essential therapies our community relies on.”

Last month, Duckworth joined Caring Across Generations’ 24-hour Capitol Hill vigil to call out Donald Trump and Elon Musk for their heartless, relentless attempts to slash Medicaid funding.

-30-