Shapiro Urges Democrats to Prioritize Healthcare
Pennsylvania's governor calls on the incoming Congress to reverse Medicaid, SNAP, and Affordable Care Act cuts when it convenes in January.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in COVID-19
Live Poll
Should Congress reverse recent Medicaid and SNAP cuts next year?
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro urged Democrats to prioritize healthcare and food assistance when Congress begins its new term in January. He made the remarks in an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, after Democrats won control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections.
Why it matters
Shapiro said 510,000 Pennsylvanians are losing healthcare and 143,000 are losing SNAP food assistance due to cuts approved during President Donald Trump's second term. The push signals how Democrats plan to use their renewed House majority to address those reductions.
Roughly 510,000 Pennsylvanians are losing healthcare and 143,000 are losing food assistance, figures Shapiro attributes to federal cuts approved during Trump's second term. Whether those figures will change under the new Congress has not been determined.
The players
Josh Shapiro
Governor of Pennsylvania who has been floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender but has not committed to running.
Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic U.S. representative from New York poised to become the next Speaker of the House.
Donald Trump
Current President of the United States, whose second-term Medicaid, SNAP, and Affordable Care Act cuts Shapiro cited.
The details
Shapiro said Democrats should focus on healthcare and food assistance, and that Congress should stop Medicaid, SNAP, and Affordable Care Act cuts in its first actions next term. He also said he hopes Trump will sign Democratic legislation rather than veto it. Trump has said he intends to work with Democrats when the new term begins.
Timeline
Nov. 4, 2026: Midterm elections held; Democrats win the House and a Pennsylvania state legislature majority.
Nov. 8, 2026: Shapiro's Meet the Press interview aired.
January 2027: Congress begins its new term with Democratic House control.
First 100 days: Democrats plan to prioritize healthcare and accountability.
2028: Shapiro has been floated as a potential presidential contender.
Big Picture
Shapiro's call targets the specific Medicaid, SNAP, and Affordable Care Act reductions enacted during Trump's second term, framing the incoming Democratic House as the vehicle for reversing them. The push turns those program cuts into the central agenda item for the new Congress.
Pennsylvanians who lost healthcare or SNAP food assistance under the cuts could see those benefits restored if Congress acts on Shapiro's proposals. Until legislation passes and is signed, the reductions remain in effect.
The takeaway
Shapiro's push highlights that the outcome of the new Congress will depend on whether Democrats can pass healthcare and food assistance legislation that Trump is willing to sign. Readers affected by these programs should watch the first actions of the January session.
What happens next
Congress begins its new term in January 2027, when Democrats are expected to take up healthcare and accountability items in the first 100 days.
Further reading
For related coverage of health policy, see COVID-19 reporting on Pennsylvania.
Live Poll
Should Congress reverse recent Medicaid and SNAP cuts next year?
