Suzan DelBene, a member of the U.S. Congress representing Washington’s 1st district since 2012, has been vocal on several key issues via her social media presence. On June 17, 2025, she addressed concerns regarding Medicaid and its impact on seniors and rural hospitals. She expressed opposition to Republican efforts that she claims aim to “gut critical services & make working families pay for tax breaks for the wealthy.” “Medicaid is how many seniors get long-term care & how rural hospitals stay open.”
In another post on the same day, DelBene highlighted a legal decision involving former President Trump’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget cuts. She supported an amicus brief against these cuts due to their potential threat to public health and life-saving research. The federal judge’s ruling deemed some of these cuts illegal, which DelBene celebrated as a victory for science and innovation in healthcare. “A federal judge ruled that some of Trump’s NIH cuts are illegal.”
Later that day, DelBene criticized Republican policies affecting Medicaid coverage. She referenced a legislative proposal she referred to as the “Big Ugly Bill,” suggesting it would result in significant loss of Medicaid coverage for millions of people. Her statement implied disapproval of what she perceives as insufficient concern from Republicans about the potential negative impacts on healthcare access. “Republicans saw 16 million people losing Medicaid because of their Big Ugly Bill & said ‘more!'”
Suzan DelBene was born in Selma, Alabama in 1962 and currently resides in Medina. She graduated from Reed College with a BS in 1983 and earned another degree from the University of Washington in 1990.
