Citizen Action of New York, Community Members Condemn Rep. Malliotakis’ Vote for Cruel Healthcare Cuts at Brooklyn Rally

June 21, 2025 Citizen Action Of New York 0 Babies and Kids, Brooklyn Culture, Economy And Finances, Equality, Local Voices, Morality and Ethics, Staten Island News, Staten Islander Exclusive, Staten Islander Videos

Citizen Action of New York, Community Members Condemn Rep. Malliotakis’ Vote for Cruel Healthcare Cuts at Brooklyn Rally

Editor’s note: As the budget bill, nicknamed by Republicans “The One Big, Beautiful Bill,” continues to work its way through the Senate, awaiting modifications and updates, New Yorkers around the city, as well as organizations around the country, are sounding the alarm. The main concerns involve the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, along with the work requirements being expanded and updated to include more individuals. Aside from being burdensome, some of these cuts will affect one of a number of things: eligibility for benefits (so low-income, struggling New Yorkers who previously qualified no longer will), rising wait times for application approvals, and when it comes to Medicaid, a higher number of denied claims that should be paid (and often long waits for appeals to process). These cuts will affect those who struggle to put food on the table or to obtain high quality healthcare. Our conversation with a legal expert about these specific matters was published recently. Rep. Malliotakis rallied earlier this week in support of the Senate’s passage of this bill, and Citizen Action New York rallied outside of the same representatives’ office to decry the passage of the same bill. Yesterday, readers learned about the budget bill that just passed in Albany from Asm. Fall’s perspective.

The video below contains scenes from the Brooklyn office rally and protest, along with scenes from the Washington, D.C. protest, attended by Staten Islanders. Residents who made the trip speak about their experiences with Medicare and Medicaid, and how it was important to them to keep their healthcare because it was there when they needed it. Several speakers in the video are community advocates trying to help their neighbors keep their healthcare.

(New York, NY) – Citizen Action of New York alongside outraged community members rallied outside Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ Brooklyn office several weeks ago to condemn her vote for the cruel and dangerous Republican budget bill that guts Medicaid, slashes food assistance, and threatens the lives and livelihoods of everyday New Yorkers—all to deliver more handouts to billionaires and big corporations.

In a late-night vote on May 22, Rep. Malliotakis joined her Republican colleagues in passing President Trump’s “Big Ugly Budget,” a devastating piece of legislation that rips over $880 billion from Medicaid, guts the Affordable Care Act, and slashes $230 billion from SNAP—one of the nation’s most vital food assistance programs.

“These cuts are not about fiscal responsibility — they are about cruelty,” said Ursula Rozum, Health Campaigns Manager at Citizen Action of New York. “By voting for this budget, Rep. Malliotakis chose billionaires over babies, corporations over communities, and greed over human life.”

At today’s rally, community members from Citizen Action of New York, Metro NY Healthcare for All, Make the Road Action, Indivisible Brooklyn, Healthcare Education Project, and Urban Justice Center shared personal stories of how these cuts would devastate their families and neighbors.

“We cannot allow a reverse Robin Hood bill that takes life-saving medical care from the most vulnerable, guts our hospitals and programs for disabled children to give tax cuts to billionaires and oligarchs who are the new Robber Barons,” said Soledad Haren, Member of Citizen Action of New York. “Most adults with Medicaid work. Medicaid allows them to stay healthy and access the basic care to be productive, contributing community members. Medicaid makes economic sense.”

“It’s frightening how Republicans with a large majority of constituents on these programs have such little regard for their lives,” said Diana Ramos, Safety Net Activists and Safety Net Project-Urban Justice Center. “These programs are integral for the health and well being of millions. If this atrocious budget goes through with these cuts they will be responsible for destroying thousands of communities.”

“As a senior living on a fixed income with several health conditions, I rely heavily on Medicaid and Medicare for my healthcare,” said Cristina, Bay Ridge resident and Member of Make the Road Action. “Without Medicaid, I wouldn’t be able to afford primary and preventive care, the same care that keeps me healthy and independent. Seniors like me are not just statistics, we are real people with real health needs. Millions of people like me and across the country depend on Medicaid to survive. Health care is a human right. We demand no cuts to Medicaid or any other essential health programs.”

“Cuts to Medicare would profoundly impact my health. I have several chronic health issues. Even though I have Medicare A&B, I already pay out-of-pocket for expensive medications and specialists, depleting my small retirement savings,” said Deborah Manning, Bay Ridge resident and Member of Indivisible Brooklyn. “But I’m lucky. I know from my daughter, who is a NYC physician, that people less fortunate than I am go without their medication or take the less effective medication when they lack resources leading to worse illness or death. I believe this is wrong in the richest country in the world.”

The below photos are from the protest on Staten Island: