At a press conference held at the YES Community Center in Levittown on Wednesday, Representatives Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen voiced deep concern over the potentially devastating effects of the recently passed House budget reconciliation bill. Joined by local healthcare and community leaders, the representatives warned that the legislation would inflict severe damage on Medicaid, jeopardize healthcare access for millions, and deepen the national deficit—all while handing disproportionate tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.
Suozzi sharply criticized the bill for what he described as “callous cuts” to Medicaid, SNAP, and other vital programs that support hospitals, nursing homes, and children’s care centers. “These cuts will significantly undermine the delivery of healthcare services, putting access and quality of care at risk for everyone,” Suozzi said. He emphasized that the reconciliation package not only slashes essential health and nutrition services but also expands tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans—those “who need them the least.” Suozzi warned that the bill, which adds over $3.3 trillion to the national deficit according to the Congressional Budget Office, prioritizes giveaways for the rich at the expense of working families and the most vulnerable.
Gillen echoed those concerns, highlighting the broad and deeply personal impact the Medicaid cuts would have across communities. “When Medicaid cuts go through, they're going to increase premiums for people with private insurance,” Gillen said. “This is going to impact everyone.” She painted a stark picture of the choices families will be forced to make, stating, “Parents are going to say, ‘I don’t need to eat tonight because I have to pay for my child’s prescription.’” Gillen pointed out that the cuts to SNAP would further exacerbate food insecurity, leaving organizations like Island Harvest struggling to meet the growing needs of local families.
Both lawmakers stressed that the consequences of the bill extend well beyond the healthcare sector. The legislation would result in an estimated 1.5 million New Yorkers losing Medicaid coverage, and Long Island alone could see nearly 30,000 jobs lost due to reduced funding for hospitals and health services. Suozzi and Gillen were united in their message: this budget is not only fiscally irresponsible but morally misguided, endangering lives and livelihoods while catering to the wealthiest Americans through unjustified tax breaks.
Their remarks were echoed by healthcare leaders and advocates, including Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling, who said the bill would reduce Northwell’s revenue by $370 million and cost New York State $13.5 billion. In Dowling’s words, “Budgets reflect what we believe in. If you believe in caring for others and going forward, this budget is the opposite.
