Republicans move to block Medicaid funds for gun violence prevention

Newsweek – Monday, December 9, 2024
By Jesus Mesa

A Republican-led effort is underway to stop federal Medicaid funds from being used to support gun violence prevention programs.

The push comes as several states have begun utilizing Medicaid to finance community-based violence intervention programs. These efforts gained traction after the Biden administration issued executive orders enabling Medicaid to cover services like firearm safety counseling.

While proponents argue that these measures address the root causes of gun violence, critics see them as a misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote a gun control agenda.

Representative Andrew Clyde of Georgia, a Republican, introduced the Medicaid Funds Integrity Act on December 5, which aims to prohibit the use of Medicaid dollars for these programs. “Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars have no place furthering the Left’s unconstitutional gun control agenda,” Clyde said in a press release from his office.

He criticized states like California, Connecticut, and New York for using Medicaid to fund what he described as “false ‘violence prevention’ programs,” arguing that federal resources should be focused on healthcare rather than initiatives that, in his view, infringe on Second Amendment rights.

The bill, co-sponsored by House Republicans Dan Crenshaw and Chip Roy, both from Texas, and Mary Miller of Illinois, has gained backing from gun rights advocacy groups, including Gun Owners of America and the National Association for Gun Rights. Commenting on the bill, Hunter King, Director of Government Relations for the National Association for Gun Rights, said, “Medicaid’s purpose is to provide vital healthcare, not to fund programs that infringe on Second Amendment rights.”

Newsweek reached out to Representative Andrew Clyde of Georgia for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

In contrast, advocates for violence prevention programs argue that the legislation is based on a misunderstanding of what these programs aim to achieve. Kyle Fischer, policy and advocacy director for The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention, told Newsweek that these initiatives are not about restricting Second Amendment rights.

“Violence intervention programs are person-focused and evidence-based. They target individuals who are at the highest risk of either being injured or injuring others,” Fischer said. He noted that these programs “do not involve any changes to Second Amendment rights,” and instead focus on practical methods to reduce community violence.

“Medicaid is reliable. If you’re doing the work, you get reimbursed,” Fischer added​.

The controversy underscores the broader debate over Medicaid’s evolving role in public health. Since 2021, seven states, including Illinois and Oregon, have enacted laws allowing Medicaid to cover gun violence prevention initiatives. These programs aim to reduce shootings by addressing underlying social factors and providing intervention services in at-risk communities.

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