Press Release
Posted:
Dixon, CA – On Thursday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) held a “Coffee with Our Congressman” community event for residents in the Dixon area to meet him and ask questions about the latest news out of Washington. The event was hosted at Dixon’s Veterans Memorial Hall, with over 55 residents in attendance.
“At Thursday’s event in Dixon, folks from across our community—and from both parties—came together to share their concerns about proposed cuts to federal health care and food nutrition programs. If passed into law, Congressional Republicans’ proposed budget bill will take health care from 14 million people and leave 11 million people hungry. This hurts everyone in our community,” said Thompson.
“Community members are also rightfully concerned about federal attacks on Social Security and veterans’ benefits. Since January, this administration has fired thousands of Social Security and VA employees, shuttered offices, and increased the VA phone wait time to over an hour. Regardless of party stripe, our community members should be concerned.”
Background
Thursday’s event was one in a series of community events Thompson has hosted across our district. Since January, Thompson has worked to oppose the President and Congressional Republicans’ plans to cut health care for 14 million Americans, take food assistance from 11 million people, and reduce Social Security and VA staff and services.
One in three Californians rely on Medicaid, but this loss of funding will impact care for all community members. Reduced Medicaid funding will force local hospitals and care clinics to reduce services or shut down altogether, impacting care for everyone.
That’s why Rep. Thompson voted NO on the Republican Budget, which slashes Medicaid, nutrition funding and other services Americans rely on to fund tax breaks for billionaire donors.
Rep. Thompson continues to lead the charge against Congressional Republicans’ budget, which gives tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and leaves hardworking Americans with the bill. Republicans’ proposed budget pays for those tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy by stripping health care away from nearly 14 million Americans, taking food assistance from 11 million people, taking away Child Tax Credits from two million U.S. citizens, and cutting green energy investments responsible for our manufacturing boom.
Non-partisan experts agree that this bill will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans while leaving the hardworking middle class behind — all while adding $4.3 trillion to our national debt. Those making over $1 million per year will receive a tax cut of $81,500. That’s enough to buy a new car in cash, a vacation for the family, and offset the cost of the President’s tariffs. Those making less than $50,000 will get $265 dollars, just enough for a trip to the grocery store.
Rep. Thompson has helped lead Democrats’ opposition to this unfair bill. When Congressional Republican leadership scheduled a hearing late at night to try to advance this bill while Americans were asleep, Thompson and his colleagues spoke out against the bill for 18 hours before appearing before the Rules Committee for another 30 hour marathon of hearings and votes to protest this bill.
Rep. Thompson is also working to protect Americans’ access to Social Security, and veterans’ access to the benefits they have earned and deserve.
Under this president, the Administration has fired 7,000 Social Security workers and closed 47 Social Security field offices and six regional offices across the country. The administration also tried to change the rules to prevent Americans from being able to register for benefits over the phone.
Since January, Rep. Thompson has coauthored dozens of bills and letters to oppose these changes, including joining a Resolution of Inquiry to demand answers from the Social Security Administration on their proposed mass layoffs and closures of field and regional offices.
Similarly, the President has fired 6,000 veteran workers and has begun firing 83,000 VA staff. After Thompson voted to help pass the historic PACT Act in 2022, 740,000 more veterans are receiving the health care they are owed. Firing tens of thousands of VA staff while the VA is serving more vets than ever leaves veterans waiting for care they desperately need.
Rep. Thompson continues to join rallies, Congressional hearings, and press conferences and support lawsuits to oppose this mistreatment of veterans.
Public pressure is yielding results. Already, Congressional pressure, litigation, and public outrage have forced the Administration to roll back its plans to cut Social Security phone services for disabled Americans, forced the Administration to roll back its plans to cancel certain chemotherapy treatments for veterans, and forced the reinstatement of tens of thousands of federal workers.
This is only the beginning. Rep. Thompson remains committed to working on behalf of Fourth District residents to protect the programs they rely on and strengthen our democracy.