A member of Congress visited the Mount Vernon City Council on Tuesday and warned that recent House budget proposals and related legislation could reduce federal funding for programs that local governments and nonprofits rely on.

“This budget will cut Medicaid dramatically,” the congressman told the council. “We made an estimate that in the congressional district that I represent, which includes Mount Vernon, we're gonna have, in the vicinity of 200,000 people affected by the loss of Medicaid or the reduction in Medicaid benefits.”

The congressman — introduced to the council as “Congressman George Latimore” — asked the city to work with its mayor, controller and staff to identify programs that depend on federal funding, including Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HUD-administered programs such as Section 8, and other federal flows that pass through the state or county. He said some provisions in the House budget would also reduce SNAP benefits and impose new Medicaid work requirements.

He described other federal measures he criticized, including a bill referred to as the SAVE Act that would change procedures for updating voter registration and a posture in Washington toward reducing or conditioning grants tied to diversity, equity and inclusion work. He said his office was resubmitting previously announced earmarked grant requests that a new House majority had not carried forward and offered constituent services through his Washington and district offices.

Council members asked about resources for local food pantries, youth programs and reentry services. The congressman said his immediate priority was to stop cuts and that “we're gonna be fighting a rearguard action to stop cuts rather than to add.” He invited the council to supply a prioritized list of local needs so his office could follow up.

He gave a Washington office phone number and staff contact information for constituent services and said district offices in White Plains and Co-op City could assist residents.

Ending: The congressman offered to return for a council work session and to coordinate with city staff on an inventory of federal funding streams and grant applications; council members said they would provide follow-up priorities.