Congresswoman Pou Offers Amendment to Protect Medicaid from Harsh Cuts

May 21, 2025
Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09) today offered a series of six amendments to the massive Republican budget legislation to alleviate many of the bill’s deeply negative impacts, including an amendment to protect Medicaid coverage for mothers and working families. 

“More than 1.7 million New Jerseyans, including over one-third of all children in our state, get their health care through Medicaid. Our state will lose one-quarter of the federal funding it receives for Medicaid – $3.6 billion – if this bill becomes law,” said Congresswoman Pou. “My common sense amendment would simply require 12 months of continuous coverage of full benefits for pregnant and postpartum women under Medicaid and CHIP. Republican opposition to ensuring pregnant women are not stripped of health care is unconscionable to me.”

On her transportation amendments, Congresswoman Pou said, “Today, I made yet another attempt to protect FAA employees, FEMA grants, and money for clean water, transportation infrastructure, and World Cup security. Republicans blocked all of them – again. That we cannot make simple improvements to this terribly flawed legislation shows the world that this entire process is a farce and proves the ugliness of this so-called big beautiful bill.”

Congresswoman Pou amendments

  1. Blocks mass layoffs of key transportation employees: Amendment would prevent the U.S. Department of Transportation from instituting a hiring freeze or doing mass layoffs of any Federal Aviation Administration or National Transportation Safety Board employee.
  2. Protects funding for Amtrak and Gateway: Amendment would prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Transportation from rescinding any grant issued with respect to the Gateway Program carried out by Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor.
  3. Offers support for clean water: Amendment would provide $250,000,000 for Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants, that remain available until 2034, that address municipal combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, or stormwater.
  4. Provides funding for World Cup security: Amendment would provide $500,000,000 for eligible title 23 projects that support a State, local government, Indian Tribe, or metropolitan planning organization with transportation needs for the Men’s FIFA World Cup.     
  5. Supports FEMA: Amendment would block FEMA from delaying or withholding grants.
  6. Medicaid coverage for mothers: Amendment requires 12 months of continuous coverage of full benefits for pregnant and postpartum individuals under Medicaid and CHIP.

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