(New York, NY) – Citizen Action of New York alongside outraged community members rallied outside Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ Brooklyn office today to condemn her vote for the cruel and dangerous Republican budget bill that guts Medicaid, slashes food assistance, and threatens the lives and livelihoods of everyday New Yorkers—all to deliver more handouts to billionaires and big corporations.
In a late-night vote on May 22, Rep. Malliotakis joined her Republican colleagues in passing President Trump’s “Big Ugly Budget,” a devastating piece of legislation that rips over $880 billion from Medicaid, guts the Affordable Care Act, and slashes $230 billion from SNAP—one of the nation’s most vital food assistance programs.
“These cuts are not about fiscal responsibility — they are about cruelty,” said Ursula Rozum, Health Campaigns Manager at Citizen Action of New York. “By voting for this budget, Rep. Malliotakis chose billionaires over babies, corporations over communities, and greed over human life.”
At today’s rally, community members from Citizen Action of New York, Metro NY Healthcare for All, Make the Road Action, Indivisible Brooklyn, Healthcare Education Project, and Urban Justice Center shared personal stories of how these cuts would devastate their families and neighbors.
“We cannot allow a reverse Robin Hood bill that takes life-saving medical care from the most vulnerable, guts our hospitals and programs for disabled children to give tax cuts to billionaires and oligarchs who are the new Robber Barrons,” said Soledad Haren, Member of Citizen Action of New York. “Most adults with Medicaid work. Medicaid allows them to stay healthy and access the basic care to be productive, contributing community members. Medicaid makes economic sense.”
“It’s frightening how Republicans with a large majority of constituents on these programs have such little regard for their lives,” said Diana Ramos, Safety Net Activists and Safety Net Project-Urban Justice Center. “These programs are integral for the health and well being of millions. If this atrocious budget goes through with these cuts they will be responsible for destroying thousands of communities.”
“As a senior living on a fixed income with several health conditions, I rely heavily on Medicaid and Medicare for my healthcare,” said Cristina, Bay Ridge resident and Member of Make the Road Action. “Without Medicaid, I wouldn’t be able to afford primary and preventive care, the same care that keeps me healthy and independent. Seniors like me are not just statistics, we are real people with real health needs. Millions of people like me and across the country depend on Medicaid to survive. Health care is a human right. We demand no cuts to Medicaid or any other essential health programs.”
“Cuts to Medicare would profoundly impact my health. I have several chronic health issues. Even though I have Medicare A&B, I already pay out-of-pocket for expensive medications and specialists, depleting my small retirement savings,” said Deborah Manning, Bay Ridge resident and Member of Indivisible Brooklyn. “But I’m lucky. I know from my daughter, who is a NYC physician, that people less fortunate than I am go without their medication or take the less effective medication when they lack resources leading to worse illness or death. I believe this is wrong in the richest country in the world.”