¶ Garbarino Voted To Cut Health Insurance From 17 Million Americans After He Claimed He Couldn’t Support A Budget That Included Cuts To Medicaid
¶ Garbarino Voted To Take Health Coverage Away From 17 Million Americans
¶ July 2025: Garbarino Voted For The Final Version Of The Republican Reconciliation Bill
July 2025: Garbarino Voted For The Senate FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill That Extended $4 Trillion In Expiring Tax Cuts, Added New Tax Breaks, Appropriated $448 Billion In Defense, Border, And Immigration Enforcement Funding, Increased The SALT Deduction To $40,000, And Cut Medicaid And Other Social Programs To Offset The Costs. In July 2025, Garbarino voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, the “motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would permanently extend nearly $4 trillion in expiring individual and business tax cuts, create several new tax breaks and fund border and immigration enforcement and air traffic control upgrades. It would cut Medicaid and other safety net programs to partly offset the cost. Among other provisions, it would raise the statutory debt ceiling by $5 trillion and appropriate more than $448 billion in mandatory funding for Trump administration priorities and other needs, including $153 billion for defense, $89 billion for immigration enforcement, and $89.5 billion for border control and security. It also would increase the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 annually for five years for households making up to $500,000 a year until 2030, when it would permanently revert to $10,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 218 to 214. [House Vote 190, 7/3/25; Congressional Quarterly, 7/3/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- HEADLINE: "At Least 17 Million Americans Would Lose Insurance Under Trump Plan" [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
- The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That 11.8 Million People Would Become Uninsured As A Result Of The Medicaid Cuts In Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill. According to the Washington Post, "The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday and now heads back to the House, would effectively accomplish what Republicans have long failed to do: unwind many of the key components of the ACA, President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, which dramatically increased the number of Americans with access to health insurance. To start, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Senate version of the bill would result in 11.8 million more uninsured in 2034, mostly because of Medicaid cuts, compared with 10.9 million if the House version became law." [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
¶ May 2025: Garbarino Fell Asleep During The Vote On House Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill, Which Cut Medicaid
May 2025: Garbarino Missed The Vote On The FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill That Included $3.8 Trillion In Tax Cuts Offset By $1.5 Trillion In Spending Reductions To Programs Like Medicaid And The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In May 2025, Garbarino was absent on the vote that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the bill that would provide for approximately $3.8 trillion in net tax cuts and $321 billion in military, border enforcement and judiciary spending, offset by $1.5 trillion in spending reductions, as instructed in the fiscal 2025 budget resolution. It would raise the statutory debt limit by $4 trillion and provide for increased spending on defense and border security, spending cuts on social safety net programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also includes a mix of tax breaks for businesses and individuals; tax increases on universities and foundations; and a phase-down of clean energy tax credits. […] It would reduce federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by requiring states to shoulder more of the cost, expand work requirements for SNAP, extend programs authorized under the 2018 farm bill, and prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture from increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Program. As amended, it would cap state and local tax deductions at $40,000 for households with incomes below $500,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 215 to 214. [House Vote 145, 5/22/25; Congressional Quarterly, 5/22/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- The House GOP Budget Bill Was Estimated To Increase The Uninsured Population By 8.6 Million By 2034. According to CNN, “The Medicaid and Affordable Care Act provisions in the package could result in 8.6 million more people being uninsured in 2034, according to an early CBO estimate released by Democratic lawmakers. That number is expected to grow with the latest changes.” [CNN, 5/28/25]
- HEADLINE: “House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid To Pay For Expanded Tax Cuts For Wealthy” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/21/25]
- HEADLINE: “CBO: 7.6 Million Would Go Uninsured Under GOP Medicaid Bill” [Politico, 5/13/25]
HEADLINE: "N.Y. Rep. Andrew Garbarino Slept Through "Big, Beautiful Bill" Vote That Passed By Just 1 Vote, Speaker Says” [CBS News, 5/22/25]
- Garbarino Missed The Vote On The Big Beautiful Bill Despite His Key Role Advocating For Clean-Energy Tax Credits And Raising The Cap On The State-And-Local-Tax Deduction In The Legislation. According to Politico, “It was the biggest vote of the 119th Congress so far — and they missed it. GOP Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York and David Schweikert of Arizona were both recorded as not voting on the Republican domestic policy megabill that passed the House early Thursday morning. Both were surprising: They had each played key roles in the legislation — Garbarino as a moderate advocate for clean-energy tax credits and raising the cap on the state-and-local-tax deduction, and Schweikert as a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee.” [Politico, 5/22/25]
- Speaker Mike Johnson Said Garbarino Fell Asleep In The Back During The Big, Beautiful Bill Vote. According to News 12 Long Island, “Following the House passage of Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ Speaker Mike Johnson revealed why he believes Rep. Andrew Garbarino missed casting his vote. Speaker Johnson said, ‘Andrew Garbarino did not make it in time, he fell asleep in the back, no kidding.’ After an all-night session, the bill narrowly passed 215 to 214 just before 7 a.m. Thursday.” [News 12 Long Island, 5/22/25]
¶ Garbarino Said He Was “Moments Away” From Voting “Yes” On The Republican Budget Bill, But He Fell Asleep
Garbarino Said He Was Moments Away From Voting For The Republican Budget Bill, But He Fell Asleep. According to USA Today, "The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a sweeping bill packed with President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities in a huge win for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana. The bill passed by a vote of 215-214. But there were a few Republican lawmakers who didn’t cast yes votes - including one who fell asleep. Johnson said that New York Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino ‘fell asleep in the back’ after an all-night session with others discussing the bill and inadvertently missed the vote. […] Garbarino said in a statement to USA TODAY that he was ‘moments away from the House floor, to vote ‘yes,’ when the vote was closed.’" [USA Today, 5/22/25]
- 5/22/25: Garbarino Said He Looked Forward To Voting Yes On The Big Beautiful Bill When It Came Back From The Senate. According to Politico, “GOP Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York and David Schweikert of Arizona were both recorded as not voting on the Republican domestic policy megabill that passed the House early Thursday morning. […] Garbarino said he was ‘proud of the work we accomplished to deliver huge results for Long Island’ and that he ‘look[s] forward to voting ‘yes’ when it comes back to the House floor from the Senate.’” [Politico, 5/22/25]
¶ February 2025: Garbarino Voted For House Republicans’ Budget Framework, Which Set Up Future Cuts To Medicaid
2/25/25: Garbarino Voted For The FY 2025 Budget Framework That Included $2 Trillion In Cuts, Raised The Statutory Debt Limit By $4 Trillion, And Required House Committees To Recommend Legislation That Would Implement Trump’s Agenda. In February 2025, Garbarino voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the concurrent resolution that would recommend a budget for fiscal 2025 and budget levels through fiscal 2034. The resolution would assume minimum savings of $1.5 trillion over 10 years and 2.6 percent economic growth over the same period. It also would require the statutory debt limit to be raised by $4 trillion. It also would authorize the House Ways and Means Committee to increase deficits by $4.5 trillion over 10 years to extend the 2017 tax cuts and implement new tax cuts proposed by the White House. It also would provide instructions for the budget reconciliation process through which separate legislation could be considered and passed in the Senate via a simple majority vote. The measure would deliver instructions to 11 House committees to report legislation that would implement President Donald Trump’s agenda, such as expanding tax cuts and bolstering border security and immigration enforcement. The committees would be required to report their legislative recommendations to the House Budget Committee by March 27, 2025. It also would set a $2 trillion target for the spending cuts to be submitted to the House Budget Committee. The resolution also would stipulate that if the committees don't reach that target, the Ways and Means’ reconciliation instructions to increase the deficit by a maximum of $4.5 trillion would be decreased by the amount the other committees come in below the target. Similarly, it would stipulate that Ways and Means could increase the deficit above the $4.5 trillion level by the amount of savings the committees achieve above the $2 trillion target.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the resolution by a vote of 217 to 215. [House Vote 50, 2/25/25; Congressional Quarterly, 2/25/25; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 14]
- HEADLINE: "House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid To Pay For Expanded Tax Cuts For Wealthy" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/21/25]
- New York Times Reported The $880 Billion In Cuts Required By The Republican Budget Proposal Would Have To Come From Medicaid, Medicare, Or CHIP. According to the New York Times, "The budget resolution itself is silent on whether Congress cuts Medicaid, which provides health coverage to 72 million poor and disabled Americans. But it instructs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the program, to cut spending by $880 billion over the next decade. If the committee can’t save at least that much, the entire effort could be imperiled because of the special process Congress is using to avoid a Senate filibuster. Ten other committees have their own instructions to follow, though none have been assigned with cutting nearly as much. It’s not so simple as finding the cuts elsewhere. The special process, known as budget reconciliation, means Republicans will have to find all $880 billion from within the Energy and Commerce Committee’s jurisdiction. That leaves them with fewer options than one might think. […] If Republicans want to avoid major cuts to Medicaid, the largest pot of available money is in the other big government health insurance program: Medicare. […] Even if the committee cuts everything that’s not health care to $0, it will still be more than $600 billion short. The committee could also save around $200 billion by eliminating the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but that option has not been raised by the budget committee or anyone in House leadership. […] Even if all of these cuts, revenues and rule cancellations from outside health care can pass muster, the committee will still be left with hundreds of billions of dollars to cut to hit its goal. Mathematically, the budget committee’s instructions mean the committee would need to make major cuts to either Medicare, Medicaid or both." [New York Times, 2/25/25]
¶ Garbarino Claimed The Republican Budget Protected Medicaid Months After Claiming It Didn’t
¶ April 2025: Garbarino Warned The Big Beautiful Bill Would Reduce Medicaid Coverage For Vulnerable Populations
Garbarino Wrote To GOP Leadership “To Express Support For Medicaid And Object To Steep Cuts In Funding For The Healthcare Program That Serves Nearly 80 Million Lower-Income Americans.” According to Riverhead Local, “Long Island representatives Nick LaLota (NY-1), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-2) and 10 other House Republicans wrote to their leadership yesterday to express support for Medicaid and object to steep cuts in funding for the healthcare program that serves nearly 80 million lower-income Americans.” [Riverhead Local, 4/17/25]
4/14/25: Garbarino Signed A Letter That Said “Cuts To Medicaid Also Threaten The Viability Of Hospitals, Nursing Homes, And Safety-Net Providers Nationwide. Many Hospitals—Particularly In Rural And Underserved Areas—Rely Heavily On Medicaid Funding, With Some Receiving Over Half Their Revenue From The Program Alone. Providers In These Areas Are Especially At Risk Of Closure, With Many Unable To Recover. When Hospitals Close, It Affects All Constituents, Regardless Of Healthcare Coverage.” According to a letter addressed to Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, Majority Whip Emmer and Chairman Guthrie, “Cuts to Medicaid also threaten the viability of hospitals, nursing homes, and safety-net providers nationwide. Many hospitals—particularly in rural and underserved areas—rely heavily on Medicaid funding, with some receiving over half their revenue from the program alone. Providers in these areas are especially at risk of closure, with many unable to recover. When hospitals close, it affects all constituents, regardless of healthcare coverage.” [Letter – Rep. Mike Lawler, 4/14/25]
4/14/25: Garbarino Signed A Letter Which Claimed He “We Cannot And Will Not Support A Final Reconciliation Bill That Includes Any Reduction In Medicaid Coverage For Vulnerable Populations.” According to a letter addressed to Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, Majority Whip Emmer and Chairman Guthrie, “We acknowledge that we must reform Medicaid so that it is a strong and long-lasting program for years to come. […] However, we cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.” [Letter – Rep. Mike Lawler, 4/14/25]
¶ Garbarino Admitted If It Looked Like Congress Was “Actually Hurting People” They Wouldn’t “Vote For You”
Andrew Garbarino: “And I Think Any Time It Looks Like We’re Actually Hurting People, That’s Gonna Piss Off The American Population. And If You Piss Them Off, They’re Probably Not Going To Vote For You.” According to CNN, “President Donald Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ is running into a wall in the sharply divided House Republican conference, with tensions spiking over Speaker Mike Johnson’s handling of the party’s biggest sticking point: overhauling Medicaid. […] On Tuesday, some of those lawmakers also delivered a cautionary note to Johnson: They did not want to vote for any bill that Trump hadn’t endorsed, eager to avoid a repeat of 2017 when the president called the House GOP’s health care plan ‘mean’ after they’d already passed it. Less than a year later, Republicans lost the chamber in the midterms. ‘I don’t want to be mean,’ Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a Republican from a New York swing district, told CNN on Wednesday. ‘And I think any time it looks like we’re actually hurting people, that’s gonna piss off the American population. And if you piss them off, they’re probably not going to vote for you.’” [CNN, 5/7/25]
¶ Garbarino Said The Claims That The Big Beautiful Bill Cut Medicaid For “Pregnant Women, Children, Seniors, People With Disabilities, Or Low-Income Families” Are False
Garbarino Said The Claims That The Big Beautiful Bill Cut Medicaid For “Pregnant Women, Children, Seniors, People With Disabilities, Or Low-Income Families” Are False. According to a press release from Rep. Andrew Garbarino, “‘The One Big Beautiful Bill will provide much needed tax relief, safeguard essential programs, and strengthen our national security. […] Despite false claims to the contrary, this bill does not cut Medicaid benefits for pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, or low-income families. These targeted reforms are designed to protect benefits for those who truly need them while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse that threaten the program long term.’” [Press Release – Rep. Andrew Garbarino, 7/3/25]
¶ Garbarino Promised To “Tank” Any Bill That Reduced Medicaid Coverage For His Constituents
Garbarino Pledged To Tank Any Bill That Would Reduce Medicaid Coverage For His Constituents.” According to New York Times, “Speaker Mike Johnson, short of the votes for a megabill to deliver President Trump’s agenda, looked around the conference table in his ornate office in the Capitol on a recent morning and faced a pack of disgruntled Republicans — each demanding something different. There was Representative Chip Roy, the Texas congressman who was insisting the bill include steep cuts to Medicaid. And there was Representative Andrew Garbarino, the New Yorker who has pledged to tank any bill that would reduce Medicaid coverage for his constituents.” [New York Times, 5/19/25]
¶ Garbarino Suggested Congress Actually Protected SNAP And Medicaid
8/11/25: Garbarino Claimed Congress Protected SNAP And Medicaid. According to Andrew Garbarino’s Twitter, “Congress just delivered big wins for Long Island & working families: ✅ $40K SALT cap = tax relief ✅ 2017 tax cuts locked in ✅ Border security & military boosted ✅ SNAP, Medicaid protected ✅ Default avoided I’ll keep fighting for NY & a strong America.”
[Twitter, @GarbarinoforNY, 8/11/25]
8/18/25: Garbarino Claimed Congress Protected Vital Programs Like SNAP And Medicaid And Reforms Would Strengthen The Safety Net. According to Andrew Garbarino’s Twitter, “Congress is protecting—not cutting—vital programs like SNAP & Medicaid. ✅ Benefits for women, kids, seniors, & low-income families are safe ✅ Cracking down on waste & fraud ✅ Reforms ensure long-term sustainability We’re strengthening the safety net.”
[Twitter, @garbarinoforNY, 8/18/25]
¶ 2025: More Than 223,000 New Yorkers In The 2nd Congressional District Relied On Medicaid Or Chip For Health Insurance
2025: 223,800 People In New York’s 2nd Congressional District Were Enrolled In Medicaid Or CHIP.
[Medicaid Matters New York, Viewed 2/18/26]
The Fiscal Policy Institute Estimated The $10 Billion Reduction In Medicaid Funding Would Result In A Loss Of 215,000 Jobs Across The State Of New York. According to New York News 10, “The Fiscal Policy Institute also estimated that a $10 billion reduction in federal Medicaid funding would see 78,000 health care jobs disappear across New York, and over 136,000 more jobs lost through knock-on economic effects, totaling over 215,000 jobs statewide.” [New York News 10, 5/23/25]
February 2025: 35% Of New Yorkers Were Set To Lose Medicaid Coverage Following Cuts In The “Big, Beautiful Bill.” According to New York News 10, “Many of the over 4 million working families in NYC who rely on Medicaid will lose coverage, according to Lander. Statewide, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas Dinapoli, that figure grows to 6.9 million. That’s 35% of New Yorkers as of February 2025.” [New York News 10, 5/23/25]