09/30/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2025 18:41
Donald Trump and Arkansas Republicans passed the largest cut to health care in history, under which 110,000 Arkansans will be kicked off their health insurance. Now, Trump is creating another crisis.
After Trump said, "Don't even bother dealing with [Democrats]," he's learning the hard way that Democrats don't work for him.
Last week, Democrats made our position clear. Leaders Schumer and Jeffries presented a proposal that would have reversed the cuts to Medicaid and ensured Americans' health premiums don't go up by 75% in January. Now, the Leaders are demanding a meeting with Trump ahead of a Trump Shutdown.
In response, Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Col. Marcus Jones (Ret.) released the following statement:
"Donald Trump and his allies in Congress would rather shut down the government than work with Democrats to prevent a massive health care crisis for thousands of Arkansans.
Make no mistake: This will be a Trump Shutdown. Trump and the Republican majority in Congress own this. And Sens. Cotton & Boozman, Rep. French Hill, Rep. Steve Womack, Rep. Rick Crawford, and Rep. Bruce Westerman should have to answer for it.
Republicans are responsible for skyrocketing prices, and now, they won't even come to the table with Democrats who are trying to lower Arkansans' costs. When Democrats gave Republicans an opportunity to reverse the devastating cuts to health care that will kick 110,000 Arkansans off their health insurance, Republicans flat-out rejected it.
The one-party Republican rule at the federal level has only created more chaos and higher prices for working folks in the Natural State. They are slashing funding for child care, making it more expensive to see a doctor, withholding funds from our schools, and our Secretary of Defense is making it his priority to bring back hazing in the military. The GOP trifecta has been disastrous for Arkansans, in addition to being absolutely unserious and embarrassing.
While Trump and Republicans are choreographing a government shutdown that would throw the economy into even more chaos, Democrats are united: Cancel the cuts, lower costs and save health care for Arkansans."
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