Rep. Diana Harshbarger, a member of the U.S. Congress representing Tennessee’s 1st district since 2021, shared her views on Medicaid and political dynamics in recent tweets. Her comments addressed concerns over Medicaid coverage and anticipated legislative proceedings.
On May 13, 2025, Rep. Harshbarger expressed her concerns about Medicaid coverage being accessed by those she describes as “illegal aliens and countless others who do not qualify for Medicaid.” She stated that this is detrimental to “our most vulnerable—those who deserve it most.” Harshbarger emphasized that House Republicans are focused on preserving the program by addressing “waste, fraud, and abuse” “Illegal aliens and countless others who do not qualify for Medicaid are stealing coverage from our most vulnerable—those who deserve it most.“
In another tweet on the same day, she outlined categories of individuals she believes should retain their Medicaid benefits: pregnant women, single mothers, disabled individuals, and low-income seniors. She criticized Democrats for wanting to extend benefits to groups such as “illegal aliens” and “able-bodied adults,” which she argues would place Medicaid on an unsustainable path “People who should be receiving Medicaid benefits and won’t lose any coverage: … People, Democrats want to abuse Medicaid, putting it on an unsustainable path: Illegal aliens Able-bodied adults.”
Later that day, Harshbarger commented on the expected actions of Democrats during a House Commerce Committee session. She predicted that Democrats would prioritize politics over legislation by prolonging the markup session but assured that these efforts would not impede Republicans’ commitment to advancing President Trump’s America First Agenda “On @HouseCommerce, we’re expecting Democrats to play politics instead of legislating—and to drag out today’s markup for over 20 hours straight.“
Diana Harshbarger has served in Congress since replacing Phil Roe in 2021. Born in Kingsport, Tennessee in 1960, she holds a BS from East Tennessee State University.
