After Republicans Vote to Gut Medicaid, Pallone Invites NJ Disability Advocate to Joint Session to Highlight Trump’s Cuts

Washington, D.C. – Just one week after every single House Republican voted to slash Medicaid, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that Lauren Zalepka, a longtime disability advocate and past president of The Arc of Monmouth and incoming Board President for The Arc of New Jersey, will be his guest at President Donald Trump’s 2025 address to the Joint Session of Congress. Zalepka, whose daughter, Dani Zalepka, has an IDD, has spent years fighting to protect Medicaid, the single largest source of funding for services that allow individuals with disabilities to live independently.

House Republicans’ vote on February 25 advanced the largest Medicaid cut in American history, a devastating attack on health care for millions of Americans. The budget resolution, passed on a party-line vote, directs Pallone’s Energy and Commerce Committee to slash $880 billion from essential programs, with Medicaid squarely in the crosshairs. While House Republicans claim their cuts are about ‘fiscal responsibility,’ their plan gives $4.5 trillion in tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy while demanding $2 trillion in spending cuts, much of it ripped from Medicaid.

“Last week, every single House Republican voted to gut Medicaid to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires. This is what Trump and his party stand for – taking health care away from people with disabilities and seniors so the ultra-wealthy can get another payday,” said Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “Lauren Zalepka has dedicated her life to fighting for individuals with disabilities – not just as a leader at The Arc of Monmouth, but as a mother who knows exactly how devastating these cuts would be. She’s joining me at Trump’s Joint Address to send a clear message: we will not let Republicans put Medicaid on the chopping block without a fight.”

The Republican plan threatens home and community-based care, health care, and employment programs for individuals with disabilities. Medicaid funds more than half of all services for people with disabilities, covers nearly half of all births in the U.S., and provides essential long-term care for more than 61% of seniors in nursing homes. Without it, families would be left scrambling for care, and organizations like The Arc of Monmouth could be forced to cut back or shut down entirely.

“As a mother, I know exactly how much Medicaid means to families like mine,” said Zalepka. “The Arc of Monmouth serves more than 1,600 individuals in our community, and nearly all of them depend on Medicaid. These cuts aren’t just numbers on a page – they are real people losing the care they need to survive and thrive. I’m honored to stand with Congressman Pallone in fighting to protect these critical services.”