AFSCME President Lee Saunders expressed concern following the Senate’s passage of a budget plan that could lead to substantial reductions in public services. The services at risk include Medicaid, food assistance, and affordable childcare, which could impact millions of Americans.
Saunders criticized the Senate’s decision during a time when many Americans are experiencing financial instability. “Working people are watching their hard-earned retirement savings vanish and millions of families are bracing for skyrocketing grocery bills and higher everyday expenses,” he stated. “Instead of offering a solution, the Senate’s response to this Trump-induced chaos is to cut public services and give billionaires massive tax handouts – completely ignoring the dire situation their constituents are facing.”
Saying that the Senate’s actions could potentially worsen the economic situation, Saunders noted, “Tearing Medicaid coverage away from millions of people, gutting food assistance and affordable childcare, and shredding the social safety net as our economy careens towards a potential recession is a recipe for disaster.”
Saunders urged AFSCME members to actively respond to this policy direction. “If the Senate won’t protect our states, cities and towns from billionaire robber barons, AFSCME members are ready to step up and fight. We will be making our voices heard at events across the country and joining together to save the jobs and vital public services our communities depend on.”
