“Bentz for Billionaires”: Rep. Cliff Bentz Votes to Terminate Health Care and Nutrition Programs in a Rushed, Late Night Rollout to Fund Billionaire Tax Breaks

In the dark of night and without real public debate, Congressman Cliff Bentz voted to terminate health care and nutrition assistance for millions of Americans, including thousands in his own district — all to help fund a $4 trillion tax break for billionaires and big corporations.
The bill — the largest termination of Medicaid and SNAP in U.S. history — was rushed through committee in the middle of the night, with no time for real debate, no transparency, and no accountability.

In Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District alone:

• 40% of all residents rely on Medicaid
• 70% of children depend on Medicaid for their health care

Yet Rep. Bentz voted to:

• Terminate health care coverage for children, seniors, and people with disabilities
• Raise health insurance premiums on already struggling working families
• Cut SNAP benefits for over 700,000 Oregon households, including seniors, families, and veterans
• Shut down rural hospitals, threatening emergency care access across eastern and southern Oregon
• Transfer billions of dollars to the ultra-wealthy, while working people are left behind

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says that at least 8.6 million Americans will lose Medicaid coverage and millions more will no longer be able to afford to purchase their own.  This reckless, rushed plan is nothing short of taxing the poor to give to the rich. It sacrifices the well-being of everyday Americans in favor of corporate greed — while doing nothing to lower prescription drug prices or hold price-gouging health care companies accountable.

The public overwhelmingly opposes this bill, which was pushed through without daylight or deliberation. But rather than stand up for his constituents, Rep. Bentz went along with his party — rubber-stamping their agenda instead of fighting for Oregon families.

“My grandson was born with a serious brain condition and has undergone 20 surgeries in 11 years. Medicaid is the only reason he’s alive today — it covers his specialists, his therapy, his medication,” said Lorinda Gieler, a caregiver in Dufur, Oregon. “I can’t imagine how we would survive without it. When Congressman Bentz voted to take that away, he didn’t just vote against a policy — he voted against my grandson. He’s supposed to represent us, but it feels like he’s forgotten about us.”

Oregonians deserve a representative who will put people first — not billionaires, not party leaders, and not backroom politics.