Oppose the Big, UGLY Bill

On May 22, 2025, the Republican led House of Representatives passed their Budget Bill (OBBBA) by a razor-thin margin of 215-214-1. The bill next heads to the senate where only four Republican Senators need to vote "no" for the bill to die on the Senate floor. 

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In case you didn't know, this bill according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO):

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• Adds $3.8 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade;

• Cuts at least $715 billion in healthcare spending, mostly from Medicaid, and $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, causing more than 2.7 million American households to lose benefits;

• Medicare is facing $535 billion in cuts due to automatic PAYGO-triggered reductions. 

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Economist Robert Reich points out that:

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• Americans making between about $17,000 and $51,000 will lose about $700 a year. On average, Americans with incomes of less than $17,000 will lose more than $1,000 a year. But if you are among the top 0.1% of earners, you’re in luck: you’ll gain nearly $390,000 a year." (Sources: Parnas, Aaron, "House Budget Bill With MASSIVE Medicaid and SNAP Cuts Passes, Substack, May 22, 2025. Richardson, Heather, "Letters from an American", Substack, May 22, 2025.)

 

The bill will also:

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• KIck 4.5 million American children off the child tax credit;

• Defund Planned Parenthood, potentially closing nearly 200 health care centers leaving 1.1 million people without access to care;

 

There is an especially ominous provision in the bill which could threaten the rule of law:

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• "Buried deep in the text of the more than 1,000-page bill is a measure that would restrict the federal courts’ authority to hold government officials in contempt if they violate court orders." This provision would allow the president to ignore court rulings that find his actions illegal or unconstitutional. This is detrimental to our democracy and the rule of law. (Source: Kashdan, Eric; "These Hidden Provisions in the Budget Bill Undermine Our Democracy", Campaign Legal Center, May 22, 2025."

 

The contents of the greater than 1000 pages bill is more than we can discuss here, so resources are added below for a deeper dive. The hope is that enough has been presented so you will be motivated to contact our Senators (see below), and perhaps a few others, to tell them not to pass 47's "Big Ugly Bill." 

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Also consider calling Senate Majority Leader John Thune or fiscal hawks Ron Johnson and Rick Scott; call Lisa Murkowski who will face trouble from constituents over Medicaid cuts; and finally, call Susan Collins and Thom Tillis who are up for reelection next year and remind them how cuts to Medicaid will hurt their re-election chances. The Capital switchboard number is (202) 224-3121.

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RESOURCES

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Robert Reich, "A hidden measure in the Republican budget bill would crown Trump king", The Guardian, Opinion, May 27, 2025.

 

Sarah Ewall-Wice, "Hidden Threat to Democracy Slipped Into Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill", The Daily Beast via Yahoo News, May 23, 2025.

 

Eric Kashdan "These Hidden Provisions in the Budget Bill Undermine Our Democracy", Campaign Legal Center, May 22, 2025.

 

Jennifer Shutt and Ashley Murray, "U.S. House Republicans push through massive tax and spending bill slashing Medicaid", Georgia Recorder, May 22, 2025.

 

Jake Johnson, "CBO Report Shows Trump-GOP Bill Would Spur Unparalleled Wealth Transfer From Poor to Rich", Common Dreams, May 21, 2025.

 

Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro, "Trump’s ‘beautiful’ bill spans more than 1,000 pages. Here’s what’s inside it",  AP Politics, May 21, 2025.

 

Sara Rosenbaum,  Marc A. Cohen, Jane L.Tavares,  and Alison Barkoff, "Who’s Affected by Medicaid Work Requirements? It’s Not Who You Think", Milbank Memorial Fund, April 30, 2025