U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison Continues Fight to Protect Medicaid with New Amendment to Protect Hospitals, Patients from Cuts
Image
May 21, 2025
Rep. Morrison’s amendment would block Republicans’ plan to gut Medicaid until it is guaranteed that their proposed cuts would not cause hospitals to close or reduce services
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, as the U.S. House of Representatives Rules Committee debated the Republicans’ budget, U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03) introduced an amendment proposing that Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid cannot take effect until an independent study confirms they will not result in hospital closures or reductions in services.
More than 1.4 million Minnesotans – including 650,000 children – get their health insurance through Medicaid. Over the past several months, Rep. Morrison has been ringing the alarm and speaking out against the Republicans’ proposal to gut Medicaid, including:
- Holding a press conference with North Memorial Health, Hennepin Healthcare, and the Minnesota Hospital Association to highlight how gutting Medicaid would lead to cuts to services and hospital closures in Minnesota
- Holding a press conference with Governor Tim Walz to emphasize threats of Medicaid cuts to Minnesotans
- Holding a press conference with Hennepin Healthcare and Medicaid recipients to underscore Medicaid’s importance to Minnesota
- Visiting North Memorial’s Family Birth Center, highlighting how more than 40% of births are covered through Medicaid
- Visiting Gillette Children’s Maple Grove Clinic, where the vast majority of patients get health care coverage through Medicaid
Watch the full video of Rep. Morrison’s testimony on her amendment HERE.
See Rep. Morrison’s amendment to the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” HERE.
Read the full transcript of Rep. Morrison’s testimony below:
Thank you, M. Chair.
My amendment today is simple.
Before the House advances the largest cut to Medicaid in program history, Congress needs to review how this bill will impact hospitals and Americans’ access to services.
My amendment simply says that the bill cannot take effect until an independent study confirms that these proposed Medicaid cuts will not result in hospital closures or reductions in services, including obstetric services.
The Medicaid policies in this bill will strip health care coverage from millions of Americans — and put essential labor and delivery services on the chopping block.
Our country is already facing a worsening maternal health crisis and carelessly ripping away womens’ access to care without any consideration, and it is just plain cruel.
We are already dead last in maternal mortality compared to our peer nations… and instead of putting forward a bill that will actually improve women’s health and support moms and babies, my Republican colleagues have chosen to gut the program that covers more than 50% of births in many areas of Minnesota.
Having cared for women and their babies for over 20 years as an OBGYN, I am appalled by how callously members of this chamber have turned their backs on their constituents.
In my home state of Minnesota, 1.4 million Minnesotans get health care coverage through Medicaid.
And millions more depend on the hospitals and providers who have been unequivocally clear that the Medicaid cuts in this bill will decimate their ability to provide care.
Unequivocally clear that the cuts will force them to reduce services or shut down entirely.
And the reality is: if hospitals are unable to keep their lights on and deliver care, we will all pay the price.
People will not be able to access care.
People will have more medical debt and they will be less healthy.
People will suffer.
People will die.
I would encourage my Republican colleagues to believe the words of the hospitals that serve their constituents, the patients that live in their districts, and analysis after analysis that confirms these cuts will cost millions of Americans their access to care.
So my Republican colleagues who hold majority rule of this chamber – let’s be very clear here:
You can stop this right now.
You can stop the hospital closures.
You can stop the cuts to services.
You can stop 14 million Americans from losing access to health insurance.
You can stop the worsening of the maternal health care crisis and rural hospital crisis.
You have the power – you can stop this!
More than a dozen of our Republican colleagues here in the House have spoken out and said that they cannot support deep cuts to Medicaid.
Other Republicans have called these massive cuts “morally wrong.”
And more than a dozen Republican state legislators from my home state of Minnesota wrote our Republican delegation and the President making a very clear case about how this would be a disaster and begged them to not go through with these cuts.
I have a copy with me here.
M. Chair I request consent for this letter to be entered into the record.
Thank you M. Chair.
And I’d like to highlight a couple of their points:
The Minnesota Republican legislators wrote, and I quote:
- “Too deep of a cut is unmanageable in any instance.”
- “Massive Medicaid reductions could punish Minnesota for being such a strong leader in greater efficiencies and better outcomes.”
- “Drastic reductions to Medicaid funding have the potential to impact the 1.4 million people we serve and place incredible pressure on our overall state budget.”
- And they closed with: “Please remind our good leaders in Washington that simply cutting the budget is not going to take away our responsibilities to the aged, those with disabilities and mental health needs, children, and the poor.”
End quote.
So to my Republican colleagues: please hear the pleas of your state counterparts as you consider this bill today.
I also have with me here a letter from Minnesota’s nonprofit hospitals. M. Chair I request consent for this letter to be entered into the record.
Thank you M. Chair.
And I’d like to highlight a couple of their points:
They wrote, and I quote:
- “Any reduction in federal support … would trigger immediate consequences.”
- “Patients will lose access. Hospitals will be forced to reduce services and will face impossible choices. And communities across our state will feel the effects, whether they are covered by Medicaid or not.”
- “We know these are difficult budget discussions. But cutting Medicaid doesn’t erase the need for care — it simply shifts the burden. To states. To hospitals. And ultimately, to the very people the program is meant to protect.”
End quote.
Their pleas – are clear.
The threats – are real.
The facts – are undeniable.
So please, on behalf of all Americans:
I implore you to do the right thing.
Rule this amendment in order, and stop these cuts.
###
Issues:
Economy
Health Care