RICHLAND, Wash. – A rally took place Thursday morning at John Dam Plaza, aimed at spreading a message to Rep. Dan Newhouse about Medicaid.
The event, which was organized by the Central Washington Families Coalition, featured a message and a list of more than 500 petition signers, suspended in the air by balloons. Dozens of people gathered to emphasize the importance of Medicaid for the community, including local hospital workers and caretakers. Andrew Au, a caretaker, expressed concern over Newhouse’s stance.
“He needs to stand up… and voice his support… He’s not doing that right now,” said Au.
Au also spoke about Newhouse’s lack of public appearances, saying he only writes statements. He wishes that Rep. Newhouse would firmly assure every constituent about the potential cuts to Medicaid.
Imelda Salinas, a local home care aide, also attended the rally and relies on Medicaid to help care for her family.
“I have a little brother that suffers from kidney failure,” said Salinas. “He has a specialist, his regular doctor, he has special medication… And without Medicare, he will not have any of those things.”
According to the Washington State Health Care Authority, nearly 38% of people in Washington’s 4th Congressional District relied on Medicaid in 2024. This translates to 135,000 adults and 165,000 children.
Representative Dan Newhouse provided a statement to NonStop Local in response to today’s rally:
“We must ensure the neediest in this country are taken care of, and I am looking for the respective committees to bring forth common-sense reforms that cut waste and abuse while delivering critical services to those that truly need them. These discussions demand a serious and informed approach, and I am committed to treating them as such as we head back to D.C. to begin this long process.”
