House Tax Bill Slashes Medicaid to Fund Rich Tax Cuts

Washington, D.C. — A controversial tax bill passed by the House of Representatives early Thursday will cut funding for Medicaid, food assistance, and Medicare to finance tax cuts for wealthy Americans. The proposal includes notable provisions, including the elimination of a $200 excise tax on gun silencers.

Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia, who owns a gun shop, defended the inclusion of the silencer provision during a speech at 4 a.m. in support of the bill. Clyde stated, “No deal. I believe the speaker, with the purest of motive, simply wanted to restore a constitutional right.” He added, “And who asked? Me. I asked.”

Clyde announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the updated bill now eliminates both the transfer and making tax for silencers along with the registration requirement, touting it as a significant victory for Second Amendment advocates. His shop, Clyde Armory in Athens, is primarily known for selling silencers.

The shop was previously under federal scrutiny after over 25 silencers sold there were linked to crimes within three years of purchase. According to Clyde’s financial disclosures, the gun shop is valued between $5 million and $25 million, with significant income reported from its sale of firearms and accessories in 2023.

Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization opposed to gun violence, criticized the Republican-led reforms. President John Feinblatt said in a statement, “There’s a reason silencers have been regulated for nearly a century: They make it much harder for law enforcement and bystanders to react quickly to gunshots, putting communities at greater risk.”

Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota echoed these concerns, stating, “I have no idea why we think it’s a good idea to repeal a tax on silencers when we are going to feed fewer children in our country as a result of this.” She lamented the moral implications of the bill during a recent interview.

Clyde’s legislation to deregulate silencers, dubbed the “Constitutional Hearing Protection Act,” aims to remove tax barriers for owning these devices, further pushing his agenda for gun rights. Clyde noted that the goal is to eliminate perceived infringements on Americans’ rights to bear arms.

While Clyde assured that Medicare and Medicaid benefits are not being cut, the bill mandates stricter work requirements for Medicaid, with implementation expected by late 2026. Consequently, millions of Americans may experience a lapse in health coverage sooner than anticipated.

“We are not cutting Medicare or Medicaid,” Clyde stated confidently. “We want to strengthen Medicaid by saying to those who can work, ‘all right, you need to work.’”

This legislation poses a potential risk for millions of low-income families, who may lose critical health insurance and food assistance due to the bill, although gun owners may soon celebrate lessened taxes on silencers.