President’s proposed budget puts LGBTQ+ Americans in the crosshairs

Massive reductions to Medicaid and other programs will fund tax cuts for the rich in the president’s “big beautiful” budget bill.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. Vice President J.D. Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) applaud behind him.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The details of the president and the Republican Party’s budget are coming into view, and the news is not good for LGBTQ+ Americans, who disproportionately rely on Medicaid and other federally funded services that the budget seeks to cut.

The proposed reductions in funding were recently revealed in two documents: a budget draft released over the weekend by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a reconciliation proposal published on Monday by the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee’s Republican majority. The budget includes work requirements for Medicaid recipients and changes to how states raise their portion of Medicaid funds. These changes would net billions in “savings” for the federal government — and possibly devastating state Medicaid programs.

Medicaid is a crucial source of healthcare for LGBTQ+ Americans, covering a disproportionate share of low-income people, including 21% of transgender individuals and 40% of people living with HIV. Additionally, the federally funded health service is the largest payer for HIV care in the nation. Any cuts will likely jeopardize access to HIV care and undermine national efforts to end the spread of COVID-19.

Provisions in the proposed budget bills would also forbid the use of federal dollars from…

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