SE Kansas City News

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a member of the U.S. Congress representing Missouri's 5th district since 2005, expressed his concerns over recent legislative actions taken by House Republicans through a series of tweets on May 22, 2025. Cleaver, who has been serving in Congress for two decades, shared his perspective on the fiscal implications and moral considerations of the newly passed bill.

In a tweet posted at 15:57 UTC, Rep. Cleaver criticized the Republican-backed bill for being "fiscally irresponsible" and claimed it would result in "a massive redistribution of wealth from the poorest families to the wealthiest 1%," while significantly increasing the national deficit by more than $3 trillion. He stated that he voted against this measure. The full tweet can be viewed here.

Later that day, at 16:50 UTC, Cleaver reiterated his opposition to the bill in another tweet, accusing House Republicans of enacting legislation that benefits the wealthy at the expense of poorer families and future generations. He described it as an intensified version of "trickle-down economics" which he believes has historically failed working-class families. This statement is available here.

At 17:55 UTC, Cleaver further condemned the bill for implementing significant cuts to Medicaid and SNAP programs to facilitate tax reductions for billionaires such as Elon Musk and Donald Trump. He labeled these actions as a "moral monstrosity" with potentially devastating effects on working-class families. His full commentary can be accessed here.

Emanuel Cleaver was born in Waxahachie, Texas in 1944 and currently resides in Kansas City. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Prairie View A&M University.