On 60th Anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare, Congressman Amo Visits Providers Hit Hard by Trump’s Big, Ugly Law 

RIVERSIDE, RI – TODAY, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI), member of the House Budget Committee, toured the East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) Family Health Care- Riverside to discuss with Medicaid providers how President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law will devastate their ability to serve vulnerable Rhode Islanders. Amo met with EBCAP’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lisa Denny and former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sarah Fessler. 

“For six decades, Medicaid and Medicare have provided essential, life-improving health care to Rhode Islanders,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law is poised to take health care from 47,000 Rhode Islanders and break the promise President Lyndon B. Johnson made 60 years ago today that our government would care for the elderly and vulnerable. Trump and Congressional Republicans' decimation destabilizes our state’s entire health system. Today, the East Bay Community Action Program’s medical staff shared the immense challenges that Rhode Island’s health centers and their patients will face because of their new law. I won’t stop speaking out until we reverse Trump’s treacherous cuts, restore investment in Medicaid and Medicare, and ensure all Rhode Islanders have access to high-quality health care.”

“East Bay Community Action Program provides services and resources to more than 30,000 Rhode Islanders each year,” said Jesse Shipley, Chief Operation Officer, East Bay Community Health Program. “Any health care funding reductions passed into law put our East Bay residents at risk, add continued pressure to hospitals and the health care workforce, and can contribute to reductions in health care access across our state.”

Background

On July 3, 2025, Congressman Amo voted no on the Big, Ugly Law after speaking out against the bill on the House Floor at 3:45 AM.

On July 2, 2025, Amo took to the floor to urge adoption of an amendment to protect Medicaid and SNAP. Republicans stood in the way. 

On July 1, 2025, Amo spoke out in the House Rules Committeeabout Republicans’ dastardly plan to steal from the poor to gift tax handouts to the rich. 

Amotook to the House Floor at 3:30 AM to hit back at Republicans' original passage of the Big, Ugly Bill in the House on May 22, 2025, before he voted no.

On April 9, 2025, Amo slammed the Republican budget resolution on the House floor and shared the story of a Rhode Islander in the First Congressional District who would be hurt by Republican cuts. 

On February 25, 2025, Amo took to the House Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution that threatens devastating cuts to critical programs.

On February 24, 2025, Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents. The Republican-controlled House Committee on Rules refused to consider Congressman Amo’s amendments.    

During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protecting SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program. Republicans voted no.

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