TRENTON, N.J. — Governor Phil Murphy issued a statement Tuesday condemning Congressman Tom Kean Jr. for voting in favor of a federal proposal that would reduce funding for Medicaid, calling the move a direct threat to health care access for millions of New Jersey residents.
Murphy’s remarks came after Kean, a Republican representing New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, supported legislation during a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce session that the governor said would cut billions in Medicaid funding. The proposal has not yet reached the House floor for a full vote.
“Earlier this afternoon, as a member of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Kean voted to cut billions of dollars in federal funding from Medicaid, which could jeopardize health care coverage for New Jersey’s seniors, children, individuals with disabilities, and families,” Murphy said.
Murphy also pushed back on Kean’s justification for the vote, in which the congressman reportedly said the bill would reduce “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
The governor countered that the proposal would do nothing of the sort, saying, “The only thing this proposal will achieve is slashing a life-saving program that directly supports nearly two million New Jerseyans.”
Murphy cites concerns from Kean’s district
The governor said he met with constituents from Kean’s district in March to discuss the potential impact of Medicaid cuts. District 7 includes communities such as Mountainside, Fanwood, Basking Ridge, Flemington, Far Hills, and Netcong.
“They were incredibly frightened and alarmed,” Murphy said, referencing constituents’ fears about losing access to insulin, chronic condition treatments, and specialist care for conditions such as cancer or kidney failure.
Murphy also criticized Kean for what he described as limited engagement with his constituents. “The Congressman has a reputation for avoiding his constituents. Perhaps if he took time from his busy schedule in Washington to meet with the people he represents, he would understand the drastic and far-reaching consequences of these cuts,” he said.
Murphy concluded by urging New Jersey’s congressional delegation to oppose the legislation if it reaches a full vote in the House.
Gov. Murphy denounced Rep. Kean’s Medicaid vote as a threat to health care for nearly two million New Jerseyans.
