Today Governor Josh Stein released the following statement on the U.S. House’s passage of the Senate reconciliation bill:
“Congress and the White House are charging forward with a bill that will have devastating consequences for the people and economy in North Carolina, while also significantly increasing the national debt to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest among us. More than half a million people stand to lose their health care, tens of thousands working in clean energy and manufacturing could lose their jobs, electricity bills could rise nearly 20 percent, and 1.4 million people – including 600,000 children – could find themselves without the help they need to afford food. The bill is a disgrace, and I am disappointed in those who did not stand up for the people they serve, choosing instead to ignore warnings from local leaders and groups across the state who have sounded the alarm about the dangers in this bill.
“We cannot simply accept these harmful impacts. The General Assembly must step up to protect our bipartisan Medicaid expansion law and food assistance through SNAP. This will require taking a hard look at our laws, our state budget, and our long-term revenue requirements. Even as those in Washington have left North Carolinians behind, I stand ready to do whatever I can to protect people’s health care and jobs and keep children fed and healthy. We can and must do better.”