Congresswoman Cori Bush Praises Missouri Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansion
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the following statement in response to the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the will of Missouri voters and expand Medicaid eligibility in the state. The unanimous decision overturns a lower court ruling which would have prevented hundreds of thousands of Missourians from accessing health care under Medicaid.
“Today’s Missouri Supreme Court decision marks a monumental and resounding victory not only for regular, everyday Missourians, but for our democracy as a whole,” said Congresswoman Cori Bush. “Governor Parson and Missouri Republicans fought tirelessly to invalidate a voter-approved ballot measure and to block health care for 275,000 Missourians — claiming there was not adequate funding. We know that was a lie, especially given that my office helped secure ??$1.1 billion for Missouri as an incentive for Medicaid expansion through the American Rescue Plan.
“The unanimous Missouri Supreme Court decision to defend the voice of the people is a clear rejection of state Republicans’ attempts to dismantle our democracy and undermine public health. This decision must be respected, and Medicaid expansion must finally and fully be implemented and provided for the almost 300,000 people across the state who will now have health coverage.”
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Congresswoman Cori Bush represents Missouri’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. She serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. She is also a Deputy Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a proud member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She is a registered nurse, single mother, and an ordained pastor. Following the murder of Michael Brown Jr. by a now-terminated Ferguson police officer, she became a civil rights activist and community organizer fighting for justice for Black lives on the streets of Missouri and across the country.