AMTA Government Relations Update 5-12-25
DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE:
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee (54 members) has announced its plan to begin mark-up of the FY26 federal budget on Tuesday, May 13th at 2 pm ET. The Majority released its proposed plan at 10:24 pm ET on Sunday, May 11th. Initial analysis from the independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has determined that at least 13.7 million more Americans will go uninsured under this plan. CBO also found that the health provisions in the bill will cut at least $715 billion, resulting in at least 8.6 million more Americans going uninsured through cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the House, originally established in 1795. It has been asked to cut $880 billion from the programs it oversees, which include:
- Communications and Technology (Electronic, Emergency, Public Safety, FCC, etc.)
- Energy (Policy, Infrastructure, Security, etc.)
- Environment (Nuclear Waste, Clean Air, Safe Drinking Water, etc.)
- Health (Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Mental Health, HHS, NIH, etc.)
- Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade (Interstate/Foreign, Consumer Protection,
- etc.)
What is the Federal budget mark-up process?
- Starts when the President suggests a budget—the plan for how the government should spend money on things like healthcare, education, defense, and transportation.
- Congress then looks at the plan. House and Senate committees review the budget in detail. During this part, called “mark-up,” the committees debate, edit, and make changes to the budget. They might change how much money is given to certain programs, add new ideas, or remove things with which they don’t agree.
- Once edits are completed, the committee votes on the new version of the budget. If it passes, it moves forward for a vote by all members of the House or Senate.
- After both the House and Senate agree on one final version, they send it to the President, who can sign it into law.
So, the mark-up process is when Congress reviews and rewrites the budget to decide how the government should spend money for the year.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Please review the House Energy and Commerce Committee member list. If your Representative serves on the committee, PLEASE call their office before 12 noon ET on Tuesday, May 13th and urge them to vote NO on any Medicaid cuts.
- If your Representative does not serve on this committee, please call their office and urge them to tell their Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues to vote NO on any Medicaid cuts.
WHY THIS MATTERS:
Cuts to Medicaid don’t just affect budgets—they affect people. Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income families. For many, it provides access to services that allow them to live with dignity and maintain their quality of life.
For our music therapy clients, Medicaid often covers services through state waivers. These programs provide essential treatment that allows individuals to remain in their homes. Medicaid is also a significant source of coverage in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community health settings. If Congress reduces Medicaid funding, people who rely on music therapy to promote independence, increase community engagement, manage pain, reduce anxiety, improve communication, or recover from trauma could lose access to this essential care.
Your voice CAN make a difference.
Congress is deciding how much support to give to programs that serve our most vulnerable populations. We must make it clear: cutting Medicaid will hurt real people—including those who benefit from music therapy every day.
Find the phone number for your U.S. Representative
Or call the U.S. House switchboard: (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative’s office.
✅ Encourage your colleagues, friends, and family to call too—every voice counts!
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