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Henry Cuellar

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Cuellar, Dorn, blast federal safety net cuts at McAllen forum

Rio Grande Guardian · August 17, 2026

MCALLEN, Texas — Federal policy decisions made in Washington are dealing a heavy financial and healthcare blow to low-income families across the Rio Grande Valley, with working households and children taking the brunt of the impact, regional leaders and policy experts warned at a community advocacy forum in McAllen last week.

Speaking at a policy workshop hosted by civil rights group UnidosUS, Stan Dorn, director of the Health Policy Project at UnidosUS, and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) sharply criticized recent congressional legislation—specifically the expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits and the passage of major safety net spending reductions dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

Dorn cautioned that while nationwide cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are harming families of all backgrounds, the consequences are falling with particular severity on Texas Latinos, particularly in South Texas.

"Last year, Congress made two fatef…