U.S. Senator Joni Ernst visited Aplington-Parkersburg High School for a town hall Friday, where she answered questions from constituents on a variety of topics.
One of the topics covered was the “One Big Beautiful Bill” recently passed by the House and now being considered in the Senate. When explaining potential corrections based on eligibility for the program, some members of the crowd shouted in disagreement. Ernst responded to those who felt that possible cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would cause people to die.
“So when we are talking about the corrections in this reconciliation bill, again, it’s corrections of overpayments and people that have not been eligible for these programs by law as it is currently written. So when you are arguing about illegals that are receiving Medicaid benefits, 1.4 million, they’re not eligible, so they will be coming off.”
“We’re all going to die. For heaven’s sake, folks. Okay, but what you don’t want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable. Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect. We will protect them.”
Clip of quote with crowd reaction:
Ernst town hall:
Later in the morning, challenger Nathan Sage visited Third Street Grille for a town hall after he attended Ernst’s town hall. He expressed concerns about Ernst’s priorities, particularly about a perceived lack of concern for working class Americans.
“I think people are frustrated with the big beautiful bill they’re talking about where you’re basically giving more money to billionaires and tax cuts and making the deficit go up. People are understanding that in our household, you can’t overspend every day. Like we live in a world where working class people can’t have that luxury, but the government can. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. And then one thing that really frustrated me with Joni today was the talk of not taking away VA benefits. She said, ‘I’m not taking away VA benefits.’ She’s not, but she’s also okay with 80,000 VA jobs going away, in its own turn makes the VA less efficient. And she talked all day in that town hall about making the government more efficient, but then she’s not making the VA efficient. So kind of a little backdoor talking, things that don’t make much sense to me. And I think that’s why you saw that frustration coming out. People at the end of the day want a more affordable life. They want a life in Iowa where they can feel like they can actually prosper and be somewhere. And it seems like Joni is more about defending the government than she is defending us.”
Sage town hall:
