Congress Watch · Report · File No. 261108-306
Shapiro urges Democrats to make stopping Medicaid and SNAP cuts a first move in 2027
Pennsylvania's Democratic governor says the new Congress should first reverse cuts to Medicaid, food aid and Affordable Care Act help. A Trump veto and a Jan. 1 start for Medicaid work rules limit what Democrats can do.
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said Sunday that his party should move first to stop cuts to health care and food aid when it takes control of Congress in January. He spoke in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press." 1
Medicaid is the government health program for low-income Americans. SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps families buy groceries. 1
I hope one of the first things that the Congress does is to stop these Medicaid cuts, stop the SNAP cuts, roll back the cuts, the effective cuts in the Affordable Care Act
Shapiro said 510,000 people in Pennsylvania alone are losing health care, and 143,000 more are losing SNAP, because of cuts approved during President Donald Trump's second term. Those are the governor's figures. 1
He also called for an "aggressive agenda that cuts costs, that ends the war, that gets put on the president's desk." If Trump vetoes it, Shapiro said, "it's yet another signal to the American people the president actually doesn't care about their well-being." 1
From Channel GOPShapiro: Trump sued me 43 times, lost every oneJosh Shapiro · 33 plays · captioned, with the source named
Trump has said he intends to work with Democrats, but he has also touted a new veto-branded hat since Republicans lost the House majority. 1 Trump told Fox News he would veto Democratic bills. 2
What Democrats can actually do
Repeal looks unlikely while Trump holds the veto pen. The law firm Holland & Knight expects Democrats to slow or limit the Medicaid changes through hearings and funding bills instead. 2
The clock is already running. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, many adults ages 19 to 64 in expanded Medicaid must work, volunteer or attend school 80 hours a month starting Jan. 1, 2027. 2
Government funding runs out Dec. 11. Year-end health items, including a Medicare doctor-pay bump and community health center money, will likely ride on the next funding bill. 2
Enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies expired at the end of 2025. The House passed an extension this year with 17 Republican votes, but it stalled in the Senate. 2
House Democrats will be united around the effort to reverse the Medicaid cuts and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Shapiro said Democrats must also seek accountability. He said they need to "walk and chew gum at the same time" and noted that Jeffries "has made very clear that both are going to be on the agenda for the first 100 days and for these next two years." 1
Shapiro has been floated as a possible 2028 presidential candidate. He did not commit to running and said Democrats should be thinking about "how to make people's lives better in 2027." 1
That matters because older Americans rely on these programs. Many people in their late 50s and early 60s sit in the age range covered by Medicaid work rules and marketplace plans. Whether Democrats can deliver relief will depend on a Trump signature, and he has already shown he will use the veto. 12
The Record
- Enhanced federal Affordable Care Act premium subsidies expired at the end of 2025. 2
- Shapiro tells NBC's Meet the Press that Congress should stop Medicaid and SNAP cuts first. 1
- Current government funding expires; health programs may be added to the next funding bill. 2
- Medicaid work requirements are set to take effect for many adults in expanded Medicaid. 2
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Sources
- NBC News, “Gov. Josh Shapiro urges Democrats to prioritize healthcare, food assistance” (2026-11-08). nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/gov-josh-shapiro-urges-de
- Managed Healthcare Executive, “A Democratic Congress likely means more oversight for payers, not a Medicaid rollback” (2026-11-04). managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/a-democratic-congress-li
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