Patti Vasquez is joined by Liz Pancotti, managing director of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative, and former Labor Policy Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
With congressional Republicans maneuvering to pass a budget bill that advances President Donald Trump's agenda, Pancotti highlighted Trump's populist campaign promises versus his actual policies, which include tax cuts favoring the wealthy and cuts to vital programs like SNAP and Medicaid.
Republicans have proposed imposing work requirements on Medicaid recipients. "We have many, many studies that show that work requirements for public benefits do not increase employment," Pancotti said. "They do not increase labor force participation. They do not actually put people in jobs. They are, by and large, paperwork requirements."
Pancotti also mentioned that the budget bill, in its current form, would shift costs to states, potentially affecting public education and other services. The bill faces opposition from a small number of GOP lawmakers in both the House and Senate.
Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).
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