Trump and His Mean-Spirited Republican Congress Destroy Sixty Years of Progress
“Republicans knew this bill is a bad deal for their
constituents and passed it anyway. This bill goes against the
self-interest of average Americans in favor of the ultra-wealthy and
corporations. It slashes the safety net out from under hardworking
families – taking away health care from millions -- in order to give special
interests bigger tax benefits. Republicans structured the bill so the
ultra-wealthy can cash out right away while the little guy and average
taxpayers will get stuck paying the bill for years to come.
“During this unprecedented time of chaos and dysfunction,
it’s easy to get overwhelmed and miss the latest developments. But the negative
impacts of this bill must cut through the noise. Americans must be informed
about the consequences of this legislation and they deserve to hear plainly
from their elected representatives about how this bill is going to impact their
families.
“Republicans are shifting a heavier financial burden onto
families, communities, hospitals, and states. Taking away people’s health
coverage doesn’t mean they stop getting sick or can’t see a doctor.
Health costs for everyone will rise. And it takes away over one trillion
dollars in federal funding that states and localities rely on to provide vital
services like schools, transit, nutrition assistance and aid to families in
crisis.
“This fiscally irresponsible giveaway to the wealthy and
well-connected is a debt-busting disaster. It will cost U.S. taxpayers
trillions of dollars in interest payments and Republicans unilaterally approved
a record-breaking $5 trillion dollar debt limit increase. But that’s just
debt already incurred – this bill will add trillions of dollars in future debt
when it’s all said and done, with little to no long-term benefit for middle-
and working-class families.
“Whatever short-term economic benefits this bill may offer,
it will do lasting destructive damage to U.S. finances and young Americans will
be forced to pay for it long after Donald Trump is gone.”
Statement from U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
“Trump’s Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill is one
massively destructive piece of legislation. Cooked in back rooms, dropped
at midnight, and fraudulently scored, it increases costs for everyone by
walloping the health care system, making families go hungry, and sending
utility bills through the roof. It saddles our children and grandchildren
with trillions and trillions of dollars in debt – all to serve giant
corporations, fossil fuel polluters, and billionaire Republican megadonors who
are already among the richest people on the planet.”
Statement from Congressman Seth Magaziner
“Republicans in Congress have jammed through a bill that
guts programs working people rely on to hand out tax breaks to the wealthiest
people on the planet.
“The final version will cause millions of people to lose
their health insurance, and will increase costs for millions more by slashing
Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act. It also cuts over $100 billion
from SNAP, which helps 40 million Americans put food on the table, and will
eliminate good-paying clean energy jobs in Rhode Island and across the country.
“This bill represents the largest transfer of wealth from
working people to the ultra-wealthy in U.S. history, and is a shameful betrayal
of the basic promise that the government should work for everyone, not just
those at the top.
“Today, I voted ‘no’ and I will keep fighting back against
cruel attacks on working Rhode Islanders. Despite today’s setback, our fight to
lower costs and improve quality of life for working people will continue.”
Statement from Congressman Gabe Amo
“Today's passage of Trump's big, ugly bill demonstrates
Congressional Republicans' lack of values. On their leader's marching orders,
Republicans voted today for the largest theft in American history to further
enrich the richest among us.
“These Republicans are shamefully bludgeoning our health
care system with its largest cut ever, snatching families' food assistance, and
looting their wallets by jacking up gas and electricity prices - just to gift
Trump's billionaire buddies an extra $847 a day.
“Simply put, because of this horrific legislation, Americans
will be poorer, sicker, hungrier, and further away from economic opportunity.
“Trump's dastardly tax giveaway scheme steals from the poor
to give to the ultra-rich, while saddling future generations with trillions in
debt. It's cruel, callous, and shameful — indeed, a sad day for our country. I
will work day and night to protect the programs Rhode Islanders rely on and to
reverse the harms of this diabolical wealth transfer."
Statement from Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi & Senate President Valarie Lawson
“We believe it is cruel for Republicans in Washington to pay
for large tax breaks for billionaires by stripping Medicaid from vulnerable
residents, which will potentially destabilize health care systems at the state
level. Working together, the House and Senate will continue fighting for
Rhode Island’s working families by passing policies to protect access to health
care like we did in this year’s state budget.”
Statement from Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Liz
Beretta-Perik
“On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson flew
to Independence, Missouri to sign Medicaid and Medicare into law with former
President Truman at his side. Former President Truman was the first American to
receive a Medicare card. President Johnson described the start of this
monumental program as a ‘New Day of Freedom.’
“For 60 years, Americans celebrated that freedom and
the security that Medicaid and Medicare provided to millions of American
families. The freedom from families having to financially sacrifice to care for
themselves, their families, and aging relatives. The freedom of our older
citizens to know their healthcare needs would be met with dignity and respect.
“But today, at least 12 million Americans lost that freedom.
A mean-spirited Republican Congress rubber-stamped Donald Trump’s plan to gut
Medicaid. Tomorrow, July 4, 2025, with his grandiose signature,
President Trump will destroy 60 years of progress.
“There is little that can be done to stop the damage
President Trump will inflict on millions of Americans. But we can hold
this shameful Republican Congress who proudly voted for this bill accountable
at the ballot box next November.
“We lost an important freedom today. We must remove the
weak, mean-spirited Republicans who valued their careers more than our most
vulnerable citizens.”
