HELP PROTECT MEDICAID FROM MASSIVE CUTS

Right now members of the United States House of Representatives are discussing a budget resolution that has the primary goal of making tax cuts created five years ago permanent. The draft of the budget resolution that passed out of committee included massive cuts to Medicaid at the insistence of hard line conservative Republicans. Those conservative Republicans have also expressed an interest in making cuts to Medicare. 

Moderate Republicans from swing districts have said they will not vote for a resolution that mandates major cuts to Medicaid. Over 750,000 Utahns would not be able to obtain basic healthcare without Medicare or Medicaid. You can help protect those people by reaching out to your Representative in Congress and asking them to help make sure cuts to healthcare programs are not included in a budget resolution or a budget reconciliation bill.

Utah's Representatives in Congress:

• Utah Congressional District 1:  Representative Blake Moore
• Utah Congressional District 2:  Representative Celeste Maloy
• Utah Congressional District 3:  Representative Mike Kennedy
• Utah Congressional District 4:  Representative Burgess Owens

If you are unsure who your Representative in Congress is you can find them here:  

www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

FUNDING FOR THE FAMILY SHELTER NEEDS TO BE A HIGHER PRIORITY

In 2022 a surge in family homelessness led to a waiting list being imposed at the family shelter in Utah for the first time in many years. State leaders responded to this crisis by appropriating money to purchase an old hotel and convert it into a second family shelter in Salt Lake County. That facility has been purchased and is almost ready to open but only has money for staff and operations through June, 2025. Governor Cox's has proposed that the state budget for coming fiscal year include $5.8 million in ongoing funding to open this facility. In August of last year, the operators of the family shelter in Midvale reported that they had been forced to turn away 834 families in the past year because that facility was full. Every child deserves a safe and warm place to sleep so members of the Utah Legislature should adopt the Governor's funding recommendation.  

Unfortunately, this funding request is only the seventh highest priority on the list of funding requests presented to the Economic and Community Development Appropriations Subcommittee. Please reach out to one or more member of the leaders of committee that comes up with the final version of the budget, the Executive Appropriations Committee, and ask them to help ensure kids in Utah have a warm, safe place to sleep next winter.

Executive Appropriations Committee Leaders:

Senator Jerry Stevenson, Senate Chair, jwstevenson@le.utah.gov

Senator Val Peterson, House Chair, vpeterson@le.utah.gov

Senator Scott Sandall, Senate Vice Chair, ssandall@le.utah.gov

Representative Walt Brooks, House Vice Chair, wbrooks@le.utah.gov