Emanuel Cleaver: Pushing back on the chaos and confusion caused by President Trump

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

The first two months of the new year have been extraordinarily troubling to say the least. Since taking office, President Trump has proven that he will put Elon Musk and his billionaire donors ahead of American families and the rule of law.

Whether it is illegally freezing federal investments that are essential to local projects in communities across Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, firing tens of thousands of hardworking civil servants, including our neighbors in Kansas City, or defunding agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) - which has returned more than $21 billion to American households that were cheated by financial scammers - the Trump administration is raising costs on hardworking families and increasing the chances of an economic crisis.

Today, before the President gives his address to the joint session of Congress, I wanted to provide another update about some of the work I've been doing to push back on the chaos and confusion emanating from Washington, D.C., so if you have a few minutes, please follow along.

Fighting Against the Republican Budget Proposal to Gut Medicaid, SNAP, and More to Fund Tax Cuts for the Wealthy

Rather than prioritizing legislation that will lower costs for Missouri families, my Republican colleagues have decided to move forward with an extremely partisan budget resolution that would hand trillions to the billionaire class while ensuring working class Missourians face higher costs on everything from healthcare and groceries to housing and more.

If the Republican budget proposal is enacted into law, it would:

Increase Healthcare costs on Missouri Families: with up to $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA, the 159,359 Missourians in MO-05 on Medicaid, including 79,000 children and 15,000 seniors over 65, are at risk of losing healthcare coverage. Additionally, the 49,000 people in MO-05 who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would see their average premium go up by $710 per year.

Increase Food Costs: With planned cuts of up to $230 billion from SNAP, the 87,000 Missourians in MO-05 who rely on SNAP will find it harder to keep food on the table.

Explode the Deficit: The Republican budget proposal will add an estimated $4 trillion to America's national debt and increase the federal deficit by $1.6 trillion.

Provide Another Handout to the Ultra Wealthy: While costs will increase for working class Americans, the Republican budget scheme will ensure the top 0.1 percent will receive an average tax cut of $314,000 per year. Nearly half the net benefit of the proposal would go to the top 5 percent of households.

Last week, I held a listening session with a dedicated collective of healthcare providers who are at the frontlines of delivering care to our region's most vulnerable communities. They made it clear that the Republican-led budget proposal and its massive cuts to Medicaid would have devastating consequences on Missouri's healthcare system and the millions of Missourians who rely on it.

Although my Republican colleagues decided to do the bidding of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire donors last week, betraying the hardworking families who sent them to Washington, the fight is not over. Every single House Democrat voted against this legislation, as well as one Republican, and we will use every lever available to us to prevent this disastrous, fiscally irresponsible rip off from becoming law. Find more information about the Republican Budget Resolution here.

Launching the Congressional Public Housing Caucus

As the Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, as well as a former resident of public housing, I know firsthand how important public housing is for communities in Kansas City, Independence, and all across the United States of America. Public housing is a vital part of the nation's housing system, providing homes to low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, ensuring millions of Americans have a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

Despite public housing providing safe and stable shelter to millions of Americans nationwide, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and HUD's public housing programs are under constant assault. While the Trump Administration and Elon Musk continue their efforts to gut federal housing programs, including public housing, I recently launched the Congressional Public Housing Caucus to fight back against these firings and cuts.

 

Founded by myself, Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY), all of whom have lived in public housing, the Congressional Public Housing Caucus will focus on:

Advocating for Federal Investments: 

Securing the resources needed to preserve, modernize, and expand public housing.

Strengthening Public Housing Policies: Advancing policy solutions that improve affordability, habitability, and long-term stability.

Ensuring Tenant Protections: Centering the needs and voices of public housing residents in legislative discussions.

Together, the Congressional Public Housing Caucus is dedicated to making public housing a national priority and ensuring that federal policies support the American families who depend on it. Find more information about the Caucus here.

Condemning Attacks on Federal Workers in MO-05 and Fighting to Protect Employees Nationwide

As a strong supporter of civil servants in America's federal workforce, including the tens of thousands who reside in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, I have been calling out the Trump Administration's purge of public servants throughout our federal government, urging the Administration to reverse course and retain these hardworking Americans.

Last month, after expressing strong opposition to federal firings in our congressional district, I was furious to hear that approximately 100 Missourians were fired from the Internal Revenue Services' campus in Kansas City. This shockingly shortsighted decision to let go of hundreds of committed public servants will not only leave these patriotic Americans hanging out to dry, but it will undermine essential services that Missourians rely on in the middle of tax season, while creating a cascading negative impact on our region's economy.

Please know that I have already condemned this sinful decision and am continuing to push back on the DOGE efforts to fire millions of federal workers across the country, which would cause a self-inflicted economic slowdown and ensure American families receive worse service when filing their tax returns, filing for nutrition assistance, or seeking any of the other services provided by federal programs.

Working to Restore Federal Funding for Missouri Farmers

As I have previously mentioned, the Trump Administration's unilateral federal funding freeze has created unnecessary chaos and uncertainty for many of our community members, including many organizations in Missouri's agricultural industry. 

Farmers, like many Missourians, are already dealing with difficult economic situations and rising input costs. They can't afford additional stress created by canceled grants and contracts, as well as service center offices without USDA staff who can help them process loan applications or give technical advice during planting season.

Last month, following the termination of a federal grant to the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council and the shutdown of a soybean research project in Missouri after the Trump Administration's funding freeze, I warned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about the impact these chaotic efforts were having on Missouri's farmers and ranchers. Moreover, I called on the USDA to immediately restore funding for all local projects, halt the firing of desperately needed federal workers, and provide a list of all grants and loans that have been impacted by the President's executive orders.

While the Administration prioritizes chaos and confusion, I will continue to push for stability and competence within our federal government. Find more information about my work to restore funding for local projects in Missouri here.