SOKY Indivisible, a local advocacy group, held a protest outside of U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie’s office against a bill that would potentially cut over $880 billion in Medicaid.
The “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act” would enforce cuts to Medicaid and reduce access to food provision and loan services.
Rep. Guthrie is the chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees healthcare policies like Medicaid.
The bill is currently moving through the budget reconciliation process, which provides a path around the Senate’s supermajority requirements. The process was created by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to create a quicker process for reviewing and passing bills related to spending, revenue, and debt. It is not subject to a filibuster and only requires a majority vote.
SOKY Indivisible is the Bowling Green, Kentucky chapter of the national organization Indivisible, which aims to “elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda,” according to their website.
Cathy Severns, one of the organizers of SOKY Indivisible, said that many people who benefit from Medicaid are children or working adults who need food assistance like SNAP or emergency medical care.
“As a school administrator, I know what a difference SNAP and other programs made for student achievements,” Severns said. “For students who did not always have meals, I think it’s just incredibly important that we’re out here saying, ‘No, we don’t support this. ’”
Severns said one of her bigger concerns is the potential loss of plans like the Affordable Care Act, which subsidizes health insurance and expands Medicaid eligibility.
“People will not have medical care,” Severns said. “A lot of people depend on assistance, and most of them are already working.”
According to Severns, SOKY Indivisible, and other Bowling Green residents have made multiple efforts to speak to Rep. Guthrie about their concerns, even holding an empty seat town hall meeting without Guthrie, but he has yet to speak to them.
Severns said she has also attempted to make an appointment with Guthrie in Washington, D.C., but has been unable.
“Medicaid is projected to grow $800 billion more over the next ten years above inflation,” Guthrie said in an interview with KET. “So what were trying to do is manage the growth of Medicaid.”
Guthrie said that states are already using recovery money and although he doesn’t expect for people to turn their backs on programs, they have to have some savings in health care.
Laraine Harrison, 81, and Stephanie Morris, 64, attempted to speak with Guthrie during the protest, but he was not available at that time.
Mark Lord, the district director at Guthrie’s Bowling Green office, told Harrison and Morris that the office does not direct public communications, but that they could leave a paper message and they would share it with Rep. Guthrie.
“I have never seen anything like what is going on here,” Harrison said in an interview. “It’s terrifying what’s going on now, and all we can do is hope that our representatives will actually represent us.”
Morris said that she thinks Medicaid cuts would largely affect older adult support systems like nursing homes and adult daycares.
“We know people who help take care of adults in adult daycares because they need care, and Medicaid helps provide that,” Morris said. “These are good things that support families so someone can go out and work.”
