Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and members of the state’s congressional delegation joined disability rights advocates outside the state Capitol in Hartford on Tuesday to rally against anticipated federal cuts to Medicaid.
The rally included many Medicaid recipients.
“Are you ready to fight?” Lamont asked the crowd.
He encouraged them to voice their opposition to the cuts proposed by the Congressional Republicans.
“Donald Trump wants to take away that nursing home for that kid. He’s fighting for them. We are fighting for you. Every day, we are going to step up and fight for your health care,” he promised.
“We are all God’s children. Everybody has the right to good, affordable, accessible health care for everybody. Don’t let them take it away. Don’t let them take away that Medicaid,” Lamont urged.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who helped organize the rally, told the audience that the $880 billion in Medicaid cuts the Republicans are seeking will enable President Donald Trump to fulfill his promise of a trillion dollars in tax cuts for billionaires.
“He is trying to steal from you in order to enrich the people who have done too well in this rigged economy, “ Murphy said.
“We get into the fight, and we make sure that we stand up for what is right in this country and that is what we are going to do,” he said.
Murphy said the hope is to develop a grassroots effort to defeat the move, much like the repeal of Obamacare was defeated during Trump’s first term in office.
More than 15 million people with disabilities in the U.S. rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage, according to officials.
In Connecticut, about 800,000 people rely on Medicaid.
