Rep. Sykes Introduces Amendments to GOP Reconciliation Bill
WATCH: Rep. Sykes Uplifts the Story of a Constituent who relies on Medicaid Coverage
WATCH: Rep. Sykes Introduces Amendments to the Reconciliation Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) introduced eight amendments to the reconciliation bill that was marked up in the U.S. House Committee on Rules. Rep. Sykes’ amendments aimed to prevent House Republicans’ attempts to push a budget scheme that will cut $300 billion from food assistance programs while also putting the health care of 13.7 million people in jeopardy. If this version of the Reconciliation bill as written becomes law, an estimated 27,896 people in Ohio's 13th Congressional District are at risk of losing health care coverage, including 17,696 people who receive Medicaid coverage and 10,200 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Rep. Sykes has strongly pushed back on Republican attempts to cut Medicaid, SNAP, and ACA coverage and has implored her colleagues to work across the aisle to put together a budget that lowers costs, improves opportunity, and expands access to health care.
“The people in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District are looking for opportunity, and that’s exactly why I came to Congress,” said Rep. Sykes during the Rules Committee Hearing. “This reconciliation bill, as it stands, does not improve the lives of the people of Ohio’s 13th Congressional District – or really anywhere in the country – and if the Committee adopted my amendments, constituents in all of our districts would have more money in their pockets, greater access to health care, and more food on their tables.”
If this version of the Reconciliation bill as written becomes law, an estimated 27,896 people in Ohio's 13th Congressional District are at risk of losing health care coverage, including 17,696 people who receive Medicaid coverage and 10,200 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. These cuts would have far reaching effects on the local economy as hospital systems are the largest employer, employing roughly 30,000 people throughout the District.
Last night, Rep. Sykes took to the House floor to uplift the story of a constituent who relies on Medicaid to cover her daughter’s medical care for a spinal condition that she lives with.
Rep. Sykes offered eight amendments to the Reconciliation bill during the Rules Committee’s markup. If included in the final bill, Rep. Sykes’ amendments would have lowered costs and improved access to health care. All of her amendments, which were voted down on a party line vote, include:
Amendments to strike language in the Reconciliation bill that cut Medicaid and funding for Planned Parenthood, as well as an amendment to strike language that would reduce the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act and adding language to codify a three-month enrollment period.
An amendment to add the EITC Lookback Act to the Reconciliation bill. This legislation allows individuals to use an earned income value from up to one year ago when calculating their EITC, allowing recipients to get a larger credit amount if their income was reduced in previous years due to unemployment or other reasons.
An amendment to add Lower Your Taxes Act to the Reconciliation bill. This legislation would crack down on corporate greed and grow the middle class. By raising taxes on corporations and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), Rep. Sykes’ legislation would lower costs for Ohio workers and families by making wealthy corporations pay their fair share in taxes.
An amendment to protect the Direct File program, which helped approximately 140,000 taxpayers to claim more than $90 million in refunds and save an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees.
An amendment to add the Tire Jobs, Supply Chain Security, and Sustainability Act to the Reconciliation bill. This common-sense, bipartisan piece of legislation would promote economic growth by providing a tax credit to consumers who purchase retreaded tires made in the United States.
An amendment to add the Healthy Food Access Act to the Reconciliation bill. This legislation would provide incentives to food providers to expand access to healthy foods in underserved communities and reduce the number of food deserts nationwide.