War Funding Shock: Republicans Target Healthcare Cuts
GOP war funding plan may trigger healthcare cuts, risking coverage for thousands and deepening the US healthcare crisis amid Iran tensions.
Republican lawmakers are considering cutting federal health spending in an effort to raise funds for President Trump's war in Iran.
"Operation Epic Fury" has now entered its fifth week, and thousands of additional U.S. troops have been deployed to the region, standing ready for action.
Now, in order to garner support for a budget bill totaling up to $200 billion, top House Republican leaders are considering making changes to healthcare programs.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told Axios, "We are currently looking at a few other things as well—particularly instances of fraud, waste, and abuse—on which we are working closely with our members."
One of the options under consideration involves reducing the amount of subsidies that certain low-income Americans receive toward their health insurance coverage. Jody Arrington, the Republican Chairman of the House Budget Committee from Texas, is advancing a plan that would recoup over $30 billion by reducing the financial assistance provided to individuals to help them pay their monthly premiums.
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The Congressional Budget Office has already estimated that this measure would result in an additional 300,000 Americans losing their health insurance coverage. On paper, average premiums would appear to drop by approximately 11 percent; however, due to the reduced financial assistance available to cover those premiums, these savings would prove meaningless for the very people who need them most.
This initiative would also provide financial support to ICE, the agency whose budget remains a central point of contention in the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Arrington stated that he aims to have this legislation passed within "60 to 90 days."
"Obviously, we have to build a coalition of votes," Scalise noted, pointing out that many moderate Republicans could potentially oppose these plans. Nebraska Republican Representative Don Bacon refrained from offering an opinion on these plans for the time being, citing a lack of clarity regarding them. "I mean, I really don't know what they're going to do," he said. "I think [Speaker] Mike Johnson will act prudently."
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote on X: "Republicans in Congress want to cut Americans' healthcare services to fight yet another war in Iran." "Just let that sink in."
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Meanwhile, on Sunday, Scalise did not rule out the possibility of deploying ground troops to Iran. "We are having a lot of discussions about what could happen next," he said. According to a *New York Times* report, thousands of U.S. ground troops are already quietly amassing across the Middle East. Hundreds of Special Operations troops—including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs—have joined the thousands of Marines and Army paratroopers already present in the region. The plans currently being drafted include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, seizing Iran's oil reserves on Kharg Island, and locating and removing the country's stockpile of enriched uranium.
Trump has publicly spoken about seizing Kharg Island, but has also acknowledged that any such operation would mean "we'd have to stay there for a while."
Since the conflict began last month, Americans have opposed any prolonged involvement. Public opinion polls regarding this war have yielded extremely poor results. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 61 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the conflict, while only 37 percent approve.
The White House has been contacted for comment regarding the proposed cuts.
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