Sen. Ernst response to grilling on Medicaid : NPR

Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst faced intense questions from her members at City Hall on Friday, drawing cries and boos from community members about her support for one of the big beautiful bills of President Trump’s controversy.

The first speaker provided Ernst with softball questions and informed National Guard veterans that his only request was to become a guest speaker for the American Legion for next year’s anniversary.

But only a few minutes 1 hour session In Butler County, Iowa, tenors quickly shifted. The crowd was tense and Ernst looked defensive with the flip.

Ernst was repeatedly pasted with questions about the 1,000-page bill, with many participants focusing on proposed reductions in safety net programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. Ernst defended the bill, claiming that those who were excluded from these programs were people who were not entitled to benefit from them in the first place.

“When we’re discussing illegals who are receiving Medicaid benefits, 1.4 million people (people) … they’re not eligible, so they’re off,” Ernst said.

Someone in the crowd replied, “People will die.”

“Well, we’re all going to die,” replied Ernst. “For heavenly sakes, everyone,” she continued with a smile.

The crowd, already hostile to Ernst’s tone, erupted into a roar of disapproval.

The GOP Budget Package is a drastic law that provides large tax cuts to significantly reduce wealthy funds for social programs such as Medicaid and food aid.

The version of the bill, which was narrowly handed over in the House earlier this month, won EKING in the final 215-214 vote.

However, the law faces a pushback in the Senate over concerns about some of the more important aspects of the law, including: Extends Trump’s 2017 tax cut. We will raise the national debt cap by $4 trillion. Fees that costly for those sponsoring asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors.

As written, the bill is projected to add trillions to the country’s debt over the next decade.

The bill is currently going through a settlement process. It’s a complicated Senate process that allows Republicans to avoid a filibuster by Democrats and pass the bill to a simple majority.

Back at Iowatown Hall, Ernst continued to spur with voters on her support for these changes.

In another intense exchange, the man who identified himself as a Navy veteran and retired school principal burned Ernst about Trump’s authoritarian style of governance.

“Are you afraid of Trump? Are you corrupt like Trump? Or is it at the point where you don’t care anymore, and that’s why you’re doing nothing?”

Her reaction sparked another round of dissent.

“Obviously, I don’t agree because I don’t think our country is being destroyed,” she said as the crowd cried out in protest.

Ernst posted after the event message It appears that social media doesn’t bother you at the turn of events at City Hall.

“Thank you to all those who came out at my town hall in Parkersburg today.