Government and Politics
February 26, 2025
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz represents Oregon’s 2nd District in the U.S. House, covering most of the state east of the Cascades. He’s the only Republican in the state’s congressional delegation, and he voted in favor of the House budget resolution Tuesday that would mean nearly $900 billion in cuts to Medicaid over the next 10 years. Statewide, about a third of Oregonians rely on the Oregon Health Plan, which is the way people in the state receive Medicaid. Bentz, like many others in his party, has held town halls that have drawn crowds of angry constituents who raised big questions about the Republican party supporting Trump’s cuts to the federal government led by Elon Musk and the overreach of the executive branch. Bentz joins us to talk about his vote and how he’s approaching his job at this political moment.