New Report: 34 Million Children at Risk from Proposed Cuts to Federal Programs Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

on

14 million people could lose food and health care under U.S. House budget reconciliation plan 

WASHINGTON, DC — A new report released today by UnidosUS, AFL-CIO and First Focus on Children finds that nearly 45% of all children in the United States — 34 million kids — rely on Medicaid, SNAP, or both for essential health care and food. The report, “Children Under Attack: How Congressional Assaults on Health and Food Programs are Endangering the Youngest Americans,” offers the first analysis of the combined impact of cuts proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives’ budget reconciliation bill. 

If the proposed budget legislation is passed, this bill would result in the largest Medicaid cuts in American history and the most severe reductions to SNAP in nearly three decades — placing children, especially those from Latino and other historically marginalized communities, in direct jeopardy. 

The report’s findings are stark:  

  • 14 million children rely on both Medicaid and SNAP, putting them at double risk of losing access to both health care and food.  
  • These children make up 20% of all children under the age of five, a period critical to long-term development.  
  • Children of color are disproportionately affected under the proposal’s cuts:  
    • 58% of Latino children   
    • 67% of Native America children 
    • 65% of Black children  
  • Over one-third of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) children benefit from at least one of these programs. 

Additionally, three-out-of-four children threatened by Medicaid and SNAP cuts also have working parents who never got a college degree — the very demographic group many lawmakers claim to support. These parents are often employed in low-wage jobs that do not offer health insurance or paid leave, leaving their families especially dependent on Medicaid and SNAP to meet basic needs. Cutting these federal programs would deal a direct blow to families who are already doing their best just to get by day-to-day. 

The report also outlines the far-reaching consequences of these proposed cuts. Without SNAP and Medicaid, more children will face hunger, developmental delays and untreated medical conditions, including chronic illnesses that could have been prevented with early care. The ripple effects extend to school meal programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), both of which depend on Medicaid and SNAP eligibility for participation. Additionally, the nearly $1 trillion in lost federal investment would trigger an estimated loss of over 1 million jobs in 2026 alone, destabilizing local economies and deepening hardship for families nationwide. 

“Children and families across America are at risk of losing affordable health coverage and access to healthy meals to pay for a massive tax cut for billionaires and big corporations. It’s wrong and fiscally unwise — and will set children back at a time that they need support.  When children have a healthy start in life, they are more likely to succeed in school, the workplace and in life. The Republican cuts to care and food for our children could result in developmental delays, serious health problems like cancer that could have been treated successfully, learning losses and barriers to a high school diploma. First Focus and UnidosUS help shine the light on the long-term damage to kids that would result from the GOP billionaire tax giveaway. Their new report serves as a call to action to reject the billionaire tax giveaway and instead focus on what makes children across America healthy and strong. The fight is far from over,” said Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), who joined the briefing as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Children’s Health Care Caucus. 

“Earlier this year, Republicans took control of the Congress and made three core promises: to bring costs under control for everyday people; to protect America’s children; and to stand up for working-class families, including those in the Latino community who voted them into power. Today’s report shows how their massive budget plan would break those promises. It makes history’s largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, taking away the health care and food assistance on which millions rely to help them work and make ends meet. Nearly half of all American children, including three in five Latino children, are threatened by their budget bill.  And three quarters of all children relying on Medicaid for health care or SNAP for food come from working-class families, with parents who are in the labor force and do not have a college degree. These cuts would not make anyone economically better off and represent a broken promise to the voters that elected them. The Congress should change course before the voters change their minds,” said Eric Rodriguez, UnidosUS Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy. 

“There is nothing in this big bill that’s beautiful for children, but the gigantic cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are particularly ugly. Children already are struggling with rising infant and child mortality, increased poverty, and growing rates of hunger, homelessness and a lack of health insurance. These proposed cuts would dig deeper into this crisis, depriving millions more children of food and health care that support their well-being. Lawmakers talk a good game about protecting children, but the actions of this Congress blatantly target them for harm,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus on Children. 

At a time when families are already stretched thin by rising costs, Congress should be investing in the programs that keep kids healthy and fed — not dismantling them. The findings in this report make one thing clear: any budget that prioritizes tax breaks for corporations over the basic needs of children is deeply out of step with American values.  

A recording of the press briefing—featuring remarks by Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) and advocates from UnidosUS and First Focus on Children—is available here. 

 ###