Police arrested more than two dozen people after activists protesting cuts to Medicaid interrupted the House Energy and Commerce Committee as it began consideration of legislation to change the program.
Minutes into the markup, activists — including several in wheelchairs — chanted “no cuts to Medicaid,” persisting despite a warning from Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) that those making outbursts could be arrested.
Capitol Police escorted the demonstrators out, telling The Hill about half an hour later that 25 people were arrested and “more arrests are being made.”
“Around 2 p.m., 25 people were arrested for illegally demonstrating in the Rayburn House Office Building. They were arrested for 22-1307 Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding. It is against the law to protest inside the Congressional Buildings,” Capitol Police told The Hill.
Ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) had asked Capitol Police not to arrest the protestors because many of them are disabled and in wheelchairs.
“I think hopefully everyone understands that these demonstrations, these people feel very strongly because they know they’re losing their health care and the cruelty that comes from the Republican proposal,” Pallone said.
The Energy and Commerce Committee is debating its portion of the “one big beautiful bill” that will encompass President Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda, including extension of tax cuts and reforms to Medicaid.
The committee was tasked with finding at least $880 billion in deficit reductions to offset the cost of extending tax cuts — a figure that would be impossible to reach without changes to Medicaid. The bill includes new work requirements on “able bodied” adults and imposes limits on a state tax mechanism that enables them to get more federal Medicaid matching funds, but does not include some of the most significant cuts that Republicans were considering.
Still, a Congressional Budget Office analysis requested by Democrats found that the bill would lead to about 8.6 million people losing insurance.
Activists for people with disabilities, health care workers, and Planned Parenthood flooded the Energy and Commerce to show opposition to the bill, lining up outside the hearing room when space inside was full.
Nathaniel Weixel contributed.
