¶ Overview
After promising to protect Medicaid, Kean voted for a bill that would kick 17 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 12 million Americans off of Medicaid. Kean even sits on the committee that was tasked with writing the Medicaid cuts. More than 20,000 New Jerseyans in his district could lose their health coverage as a result of his vote.
Kean previously said he disagreed with the Affordable Care Act, which enabled Medicaid expansion to cover more New Jerseyans. More than 513,000 New Jerseyans were enrolled in an Affordable Care Act insurance plan in 2025.
¶ 2025: Kean Voted To Gut Health Care Benefits New Jerseyans Relied On
¶ Kean Promised That He Would Protect Medicaid
Kean: “I Support Protecting Social Security, Medicare And Medicaid For Those Who Rely On It, These Programs Across Our Country.” According to a tele-town hall hosted by Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., “MODERATOR: And Mark in Kingwood wonders: Are you going to allow Trump, Elon Musk and Mike Johnson to cut Medicaid benefits for the tens of thousands of households in your district that rely on the program? KEAN: My priority is to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for their intended beneficiaries. I do not support turning a blind eye to any fraud, waste or abuse whatsoever. Those would cause a direct threat to the mission of these important programs. Specifically, on the reconciliation vote, the budget framework bill that the House passed, it never once mentioned Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. As our work on government spending continues, I want to continue being very clear. I support protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for those who rely on it, these programs across our country. Thank you.” [Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. Tele-Town Hall, 3/26/25] (audio)
¶ Then Kean Repeatedly Voted to Cut Medicaid and Kick New Jerseyans Off Their Health Coverage
¶ July 2025: Kean Voted For The Final Version Of Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill That Was Estimated To Kick 12 Million Americans Off Medicaid
2025: Kean Voted For The Senate FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill That Extended $4 Trillion In Expiring Tax Cuts, Added New Tax Breaks, Appropriated $448 Billion In Defense, Border, And Immigration Enforcement Funding, Increased The SALT Deduction To $40,000, And Cut Medicaid And Other Social Programs To Offset The Costs. In July 2025, Kean voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, the “motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would permanently extend nearly $4 trillion in expiring individual and business tax cuts, create several new tax breaks and fund border and immigration enforcement and air traffic control upgrades. It would cut Medicaid and other safety net programs to partly offset the cost. Among other provisions, it would raise the statutory debt ceiling by $5 trillion and appropriate more than $448 billion in mandatory funding for Trump administration priorities and other needs, including $153 billion for defense, $89 billion for immigration enforcement, and $89.5 billion for border control and security. It also would increase the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 annually for five years for households making up to $500,000 a year until 2030, when it would permanently revert to $10,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 218 to 214. [House Vote 190, 7/3/25; Congressional Quarterly, 7/3/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- HEADLINE: "At Least 17 Million Americans Would Lose Insurance Under Trump Plan" [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
- The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That 11.8 Million People Would Become Uninsured As A Result Of The Medicaid Cuts In Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill. According to the Washington Post, "The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday and now heads back to the House, would effectively accomplish what Republicans have long failed to do: unwind many of the key components of the ACA, President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, which dramatically increased the number of Americans with access to health insurance. To start, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Senate version of the bill would result in 11.8 million more uninsured in 2034, mostly because of Medicaid cuts, compared with 10.9 million if the House version became law." [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
¶ May 2025: Kean Voted To Pass The House Republican Reconciliation Bill, Which Was Estimated To Kick More Than Eight Million Americans Off Their Health Coverage
May 2025: Kean Voted For The FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill That Included $3.8 Trillion In Tax Cuts Offset By $1.5 Trillion In Spending Reductions To Programs Like Medicaid And The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In May 2025, Kean voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the bill that would provide for approximately $3.8 trillion in net tax cuts and $321 billion in military, border enforcement and judiciary spending, offset by $1.5 trillion in spending reductions, as instructed in the fiscal 2025 budget resolution (H Con Res 14). It would raise the statutory debt limit by $4 trillion and provide for increased spending on defense and border security, spending cuts on social safety net programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also includes a mix of tax breaks for businesses and individuals; tax increases on universities and foundations; and a phase-down of clean energy tax credits. […] It would reduce federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by requiring states to shoulder more of the cost, expand work requirements for SNAP, extend programs authorized under the 2018 farm bill, and prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture from increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Program. As amended, it would cap state and local tax deductions at $40,000 for households with incomes below $500,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 215 to 214. [House Vote 145, 5/22/25; Congressional Quarterly, 5/22/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- The House GOP Budget Bill Was Estimated To Increase The Uninsured Population By 8.6 Million By 2034. According to CNN, “The Medicaid and Affordable Care Act provisions in the package could result in 8.6 million more people being uninsured in 2034, according to an early CBO estimate released by Democratic lawmakers. That number is expected to grow with the latest changes.” [CNN, 5/28/25]
- HEADLINE: “House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid To Pay For Expanded Tax Cuts For Wealthy” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/21/25]
- HEADLINE: “CBO: 7.6 Million Would Go Uninsured Under GOP Medicaid Bill” [Politico, 5/13/25]
¶ February 2025: Kean Voted To Pass The House Republican Reconciliation Budget Framework, Which Set Up Future Cuts To Medicaid
February 2025: Kean Voted For The FY 2025 Budget Framework That Included $2 Trillion In Cuts, Raised The Statutory Debt Limit By $4 Trillion, And Required House Committees To Recommend Legislation That Would Implement Trump’s Agenda. In February 2025, Kean voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the concurrent resolution that would recommend a budget for fiscal 2025 and budget levels through fiscal 2034. The resolution would assume minimum savings of $1.5 trillion over 10 years and 2.6 percent economic growth over the same period. It also would require the statutory debt limit to be raised by $4 trillion. It also would authorize the House Ways and Means Committee to increase deficits by $4.5 trillion over 10 years to extend the 2017 tax cuts and implement new tax cuts proposed by the White House. It also would provide instructions for the budget reconciliation process through which separate legislation could be considered and passed in the Senate via a simple majority vote. The measure would deliver instructions to 11 House committees to report legislation that would implement President Donald Trump’s agenda, such as expanding tax cuts and bolstering border security and immigration enforcement. The committees would be required to report their legislative recommendations to the House Budget Committee by March 27, 2025. It also would set a $2 trillion target for the spending cuts to be submitted to the House Budget Committee. The resolution also would stipulate that if the committees don't reach that target, the Ways and Means’ reconciliation instructions to increase the deficit by a maximum of $4.5 trillion would be decreased by the amount the other committees come in below the target. Similarly, it would stipulate that Ways and Means could increase the deficit above the $4.5 trillion level by the amount of savings the committees achieve above the $2 trillion target.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the resolution by a vote of 217 to 215. [House Vote 50, 2/25/25; Congressional Quarterly, 2/25/25; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 14]
- HEADLINE: "House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid To Pay For Expanded Tax Cuts For Wealthy" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/21/25]
- New York Times Reported The $880 Billion In Cuts Required By The Republican Budget Proposal Would Have To Come From Medicaid, Medicare, Or CHIP. According to the New York Times, "The budget resolution itself is silent on whether Congress cuts Medicaid, which provides health coverage to 72 million poor and disabled Americans. But it instructs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the program, to cut spending by $880 billion over the next decade. If the committee can’t save at least that much, the entire effort could be imperiled because of the special process Congress is using to avoid a Senate filibuster. Ten other committees have their own instructions to follow, though none have been assigned with cutting nearly as much. It’s not so simple as finding the cuts elsewhere. The special process, known as budget reconciliation, means Republicans will have to find all $880 billion from within the Energy and Commerce Committee’s jurisdiction. That leaves them with fewer options than one might think. […] If Republicans want to avoid major cuts to Medicaid, the largest pot of available money is in the other big government health insurance program: Medicare. […] Even if the committee cuts everything that’s not health care to $0, it will still be more than $600 billion short. The committee could also save around $200 billion by eliminating the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but that option has not been raised by the budget committee or anyone in House leadership. […] Even if all of these cuts, revenues and rule cancellations from outside health care can pass muster, the committee will still be left with hundreds of billions of dollars to cut to hit its goal. Mathematically, the budget committee’s instructions mean the committee would need to make major cuts to either Medicare, Medicaid or both." [New York Times, 2/25/25]
¶ Kean Sat On The Energy And Commerce Committee Responsible For Cutting $880 Billion In Medicaid Spending
12/13/24: Kean Was Appointed To Serve On The Energy And Commerce Committee For The 119th Congress. According to a press release from Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., "Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) was appointed to serve on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce for the 119th Congress. The Energy and Commerce Committee is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. ‘I am honored to be selected to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where I look forward to working with my colleagues to address the critical issues facing our nation's energy future, research and development, and economy,’ said Congressman Kean. ‘Our work will shape the path forward for innovation, sustainability, and opportunity for New Jerseyans and people across our nation.’" [Press Release – Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., 12/13/24]
¶ Kean Claimed The Reconciliation Package That Cut Medicaid Was A “Significant Victory”
7/3/25: Kean Voted In Favor Of The Final Republican Reconciliation Package, Which He Claimed Safeguarded Medicaid And Protected It For Future Generations. According to a press release from Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., "Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) released the following statement after voting in favor of the final reconciliation package this afternoon. The legislation passed by a vote of 218 to 214 and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The bill marks a significant victory for middle-class taxpayers, protects health care for our most vulnerable populations, and combats waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs. […] ‘I voted to safeguard Medicaid for every intended beneficiary in the Garden State and nationwide. By rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, we are preserving this vital program for today’s recipients and future generations. I also voted to protect New Jersey’s expansion of certain critical supplemental payments they receive from the federal government—an important financing tool that hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers rely on to serve Medicaid patients. Finally, this bill allocates $50 billion over five years to hospitals and health care providers, ensuring patients continue to receive quality care in New Jersey and throughout the country." [Press Release – Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., 7/3/25]
5/22/25: Kean Touted Voting For The House Republican Reconciliation Package. According to a press release from Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., "Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) released the following statement after the House passed its reconciliation package, a historic piece of legislation that delivers middle-class tax relief, unleashes American energy and innovation, and roots out waste, fraud, and abuse. Kean said, ‘We did it. The House just passed the Reconciliation package, a major step forward that delivers important wins for New Jerseyans and all Americans. I stood up for New Jersey every step of the way, even when it meant standing alone or standing against my own party’s leadership. I led the fight to restore our property tax deduction, and we won. The House bill restores the full SALT deduction for middle-class families, providing up to $40,000 in deductibility. On healthcare, we protected Medicaid for every intended beneficiary in New Jersey and across the country and stopped illegal immigrants from stealing taxpayer-funded benefits.’" [Press Release – Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., 5/22/25]
¶ An Estimated 70,200 New Jer Sey Ans in The 7th Congressional District Relied on Medicaid or Chip for Health Insurance
2023: 70,200 New Jerseyans In The 7th Congressional District Were Enrolled In Medicaid Or CHIP. According to the Center for American Progress,
[Center for American Progress, 3/11/25]
¶ 2013: Kean Opposed The Affordable Care Act
2/27/13: Kean Said He Disagreed With The Affordable Care Act. According to the Record, " The biggest changes Christie offered were his embrace of the Medicaid expansion and the plan to make good on what he said was a record payment to the pension fund. The expansion of Medicaid under President Obama's federal health care program will mean coverage for 104,000 more New Jersey residents, while also saving $227 million, he said. Though Obama's reforms have been opposed by many Republican governors, Christie - a possible GOP candidate for president in 2016 - said Medicaid expansion makes sense for New Jersey. […] Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union: He approves of Christie's decision on Medicaid. ‘This is a fiscally responsible move. And while I disagree with the Affordable Care Act, this is a practical solution.’ He also supports the governor's approach to unemployment. ‘There are far too many people who are looking for jobs right now. And that is why the governor has focused through his entire tenure on job creation and tax reduction.’" [Bergen Record, 2/27/13]
¶ The Affordable Care Act Allowed States Like New Jersey To Expand Medicaid, Which Has Dramatically Lowered The Uninsured Rate Among Low-Income Workers
The Affordable Care Act Allowed States To Expand Medicaid And States That Did Had Dramatically Lowered The Number Of People Without Health Insurance. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "The Affordable Care Act (ACA) permits states to expand Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty level (about $20,780 annually for an individual or $35,630 for a family of three). States that have adopted the expansion have dramatically lowered their uninsured rates. Extensive research finds that the people who gained coverage have grown healthier and more financially secure, while long-standing racial inequities in health outcomes, coverage, and access to care have shrunk." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/14/24]
- The Uninsured Rate Among Low-Income Workers Fell From 38 Percent In 2013 To 17 Percent In 2022, Which Coincided With Implementation Of Medicaid Expansion. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "Millions of workers have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, including people working in industries that provide critical goods and services such as health care, transportation, grocery stores, food manufacturers, and child care. Many have no access to health coverage through their jobs. In expansion states, the uninsured rate among low-income workers fell from 38 percent in 2013 to 17 percent in 2022; this sharp decline coincided with a large increase in the share of low-income workers enrolled in Medicaid.[16] In non-expansion states, the uninsured rate among low-income workers fell much less, from 46 percent to 31 percent. (See Figure 3.)" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/14/24]
2025: 513,217 People Were Enrolled In An Affordable Care Act Plan. According to KFF,
[KFF, Viewed 10/2/25]