June 27, 2025

Wyden, Markey, Leader Schumer Urge Republicans to Halt Health Care Cuts, Spare Small Businesses from Skyrocketing Costs

Lawmakers raise concerns with Republican health care and food security cuts

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass. and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., today wrote to Republican leaders that their budget bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or letting the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits expire for 3 million small businesses would be a disaster for families and small businesses. 

More than 40% of small business owners surveyed by Small Business For America’s Future are concerned that health care cuts would make it harder to compete with large companies, hurt local economies, and result in higher employee turnover and lower productivity. Small business owners are working entrepreneurs who fuel local economies and create jobs. Gutting these lifelines to give more tax breaks to billionaires is an insult to the workers and business owners who keep our communities going. 

Wyden and his Democratic colleagues wrote Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S. D., and Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, “It is no surprise that small business owners across the country do not support Republicans’ health care and nutrition cuts: 7 in 10 small business owners oppose cutting healthcare programs while extending tax breaks for the wealthy. As a small business owner in Pennsylvania stated, ‘These cuts don’t solve problems – they shift costs from government programs onto the businesses least able to absorb them, all while extending tax breaks for corporations that already pay lower effective rates than the corner store.’ Small businesses succeed when their owners and employees are healthy, secure, and financially stable. Policies that strip away basic support systems in favor of giveaways for the ultra-wealthy don’t just hurt families, they stifle entrepreneurship and economic growth. The Senate reconciliation bill should recognize this and support America’s small business owners and employees. If this bill is enacted, small businesses would lose while big corporations and the ultra-wealthy win.”

“The Republican prescription to cut lifeline health care programs will clobber small businesses making every ounce of effort to keep their lights on,” Wyden said. “I’ve heard firsthand from Oregonians in red and blue communities alike that losing health care coverage will mean one more extra cost that’s hard to afford. As the ranking member of the Finance Committee, I am fighting tooth and nail so working families in Oregon and across our country have the coverage they need to put food on the table and care for their loved ones.”

Small businesses owners surveyed by Small Business For America’s Future expressed fears that the Republican tax scam will hurt their ability to compete and retain employees, squeeze their bottom lines, and ultimately threaten the survival of their businesses and their access to essential health care. The survey also found that:

  • More than half of small businesses surveyed have owners, employees, or family members who rely on Medicaid, CHIP coverage, or use the ACApremium tax credits. 
  • A majority of those surveyed stated that small businesses would face financial pressure if health care program cuts were enacted. 
  • 55% of surveyed businesses have owners, employees, or families who rely on premium tax credits offered on the ACA Marketplace to afford coverage.
  • 70% oppose cutting vital health care programs to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy.

The text of the letter is here.