Budzinski Announces State of the Union Guest, Calls for Action to Cut Healthcare Costs 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that she will bring Laura Petty, a constituent from Alton, Illinois, whose family has been impacted by rising healthcare costs, as her guest to President Trump’s State of the Union next Tuesday. 

“I am honored to bring Laura as my guest to highlight the impact of Republican healthcare cuts on working families in my district. Laura and her husband Rick reached out to my office last Fall to share the difficult decisions their family would have to make if Congress let the ACA tax credits expire. Since the expiration, they saw their premiums rise by more than $500 a month. This means tapping into their savings and living with fear that a single medical emergency could bankrupt them,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. 

“Unfortunately, Laura and Rick’s story is not unique – they are one of millions of families across the country lying awake at night with these same worries. I hope, when President Trump sees Laura in the audience, he’s reminded that he could take action right now to extend the ACA tax credits and address the affordability crisis crushing working people.” 

Since Republicans’ refusal to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits, 22,000 people in IL-13 are seeing their healthcare costs rise. Nationwide, 15 million people are expected to lose their health insurance because of Medicaid cuts in the Big, Ugly Bill and the tax credits expiring. 

Laura Petty is a self-employed cleaner and childcare provider. Her husband, Rick, is a carpenter who works in St. Louis. They have three children, two in their 20s and an 18-year-old in high school getting ready to start community college. In October, 2025, Budzinski shared their story at a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee hearing.

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