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On Feb. 27, 2025, Congressman Finstad’s public statement to KAAL after his yes vote on H. Con. Res. 14 noted “according to president Trump, only fraud and improper payments within these (social safety net) programs are being targeted and those who need Medicaid services will have them.”

Concerning facts speak otherwise.

According to a March 5, 2025 statement made by Congress’s nonpartisan bookkeeper, as reported in the Washington Post, “Republicans in Congress cannot reach their goal of cutting $1.5 trillion in spending…unless they cut Medicaid or Medicare benefits.”

The source goes on to note that even if every other item were cut from the Energy and Commerce budget, Republicans would still need to cut $745 billion. The only remaining thing to cut is Medicaid/Medicare.

Work requirements, while not efficient or cost saving for state workers, would save a maximum of 100 billion dollars federally.

This leaves a $645 billion dollar MINIMUM cut to Medicaid/Medicare.

If Congressman Finstad truly stands, as he stated to KAAL on Feb. 18, for “protecting the programs — like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare that many Americans depend on,” he should be able to answer my questions.

What audit of Medicaid was done before the vote on H. Con. Res. 14?

How were the “waste, fraud, and abuse” to be cut calculated before voting?

Where can I access and read a breakdown of the waste, fraud, and abuse found before the vote?

Did you see proof of over 6 billion dollars in waste, fraud and abuse before you voted?

Barring concrete proof of that amount of fraud, would you vote for a final budget package that cuts at least $6 billion dollars from Medicare/Medicaid programs that elderly, disabled, and poor and working class families with children depend on?

Will you vote for any budget package that cuts Medicaid/Medicare to those who legitimately qualify today? If not, who are you willing to kick off?

Do you support a budget that decreases the amount of FMAP (federal aid to Medicaid) Minnesota receives, even though you were warned, in writing, by state Republican representatives who work directly with HHS that this will force Minnesota to either increase property taxes or close services to vulnerable people ?

Can you explain how a federal budget that adds $4.5 trillion to the deficit in order to fund tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the top one percent of Americans while slashing services to the poorest is fiscally responsible or balances the budget?

I look forward to the answers to my questions, as well as your next town hall. I will drive from any corner of the congressional district, on any day, at any time you can make it work. I’ve called your office daily for a month and sadly, still nothing on the books.

Sincerely,

Karianne Bachmeier

Austin, MN