WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed Donald Trump and Republicans for proposing drastic, inhumane cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other vital programs that so many Americans rely on in their “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which is set to come to a vote on the Senate floor this week. Joining U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and other health care and anti-hunger advocates at the presser, Duckworth recalled her own personal experiences from her childhood when she and her family relied on food stamps to get by—emphasizing that programs like these are a lifeline that millions of Americans cannot afford to lose. Video of Duckworth’s remarks can be found on her YouTube.
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Key Quotes:
- “When I was in high school, my family struggled. My father was unemployed for five years. The only job he could find was below minimum wage, with tips making up the difference. My mother took in sewing, and even as a high school student, I had an afterschool job. Yet we still had no money and some days no food, teetering on the brink of homelessness, never sure what tomorrow would bring. I still remember going to the grocery store and counting out our last five one-dollar food stamps, trying to buy as much bread and bologna as possible—then praying we’d have enough to last the week.”
- “I was only elected Senator…I was only able to become an Army pilot…hell, I probably only was able to finish high school…because when my dad—a Veteran—was down on his luck, this country said: ‘Hey. You took care of us in times of war. You never abandoned this nation. Now it’s our turn not to abandon you.’ I’m only here this morning because of programs like SNAP. Yet for millions and millions of Americans, that basic sense of care, that basic sense of dignity, is about to be stripped away. That basic sense of safety is about to be ripped from under their feet.”
- “That’s what’s at risk if Donald Trump and Senate Republicans get away with enacting legislation whose goal seems to be cruelty for cruelty’s sake. Snatching away health care and SNAP benefits from countless families. From Veterans who served five, six, seven tours. From kids who just want to go to bed without their stomachs growling. From moms working double shifts, who wake up every morning terrified that, thanks to the GOP’s Medicaid cuts, they won’t have enough money to cover both their insulin and their rent. I’m pissed off. And I hope everyone else is, too. Republicans should be ashamed. I’m certainly ashamed of them. I urge every one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle…to join me in voting ‘hell no’ against this abomination that they’re trying to call legislation.”
Senator Duckworth’s remarks as prepared can be found below:
Hello everyone. Thank you Senators Klobuchar, Hassan and Merkley for bringing us all together today.
You know, back when I was in high school, my family struggled. My father was unemployed for five years. The only job he could find was below minimum wage, with tips making up the difference. My mother took in sewing, and even as a high school student, I had an afterschool job.
Yet we still had no money and some days no food… teetering on the brink of homelessness… never sure what tomorrow would bring. I still remember going to the grocery store and counting out our last five one-dollar food stamps, trying to buy as much bread and bologna as possible—then praying we’d have enough to last the week.
I was only elected Senator… I was only able to become an Army pilot… hell, I probably only was able to finish high school… because when my dad—a Veteran—was down on his luck, this country said: “Hey. You took care of us in times of war. You never abandoned this nation. Now it’s our turn not to abandon you.”
I’m only here this morning because of programs like SNAP. Yet for millions and millions of Americans, that basic sense of care… that basic sense of dignity… is about to be stripped away. That basic sense of safety is about to be ripped from under their feet.
That’s what’s at stake if the bill my colleagues are talking about passes our chamber. That’s what’s at risk if Donald Trump and Senate Republicans get away with enacting legislation whose goal seems to be cruelty for cruelty’s sake. Snatching away health care and SNAP benefits from countless families. From Veterans who served five, six, seven tours. From kids who just want to go to bed without their stomachs growling. From moms working double shifts, who wake up every morning terrified that, thanks to the GOP’s Medicaid cuts, they won’t have enough money to cover both their insulin and their rent.
I’m pissed off. And I hope everyone else is, too. Republicans should be ashamed. I’m certainly ashamed of them.
And I urge every one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who claims to care about our Veterans or families when they’re on the campaign trail to actually spend half a second proving it when the rubber hits the road, and to join me in voting “hell no” against this abomination that they’re trying to call legislation.
I’m out of time, so let me close by just thanking everyone here for being my partners in this fight. Having you on the frontlines means so much to so many—including me.
