Governor Kathy Hochul of New York urged Senate Republicans to oppose the “big beautiful bill” that was passed by the House on Friday, citing worries that it may negatively affect the most vulnerable Americans through cuts and modifications to programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the biggest nutrition assistance program in the country.
The House budget proposal, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” is the cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s economic agenda and seeks to reduce federal spending while providing large tax cuts.
Medicaid cuts of hundreds of billions of dollars, increased job requirements for nutrition and health programs, and state cost shifts are all part of the package.
With millions at danger of greater food insecurity, safety net hospital closures imminent, and almost 1.5 million New Yorkers possibly losing health coverage, the Senate’s decision on the bill will have significant ramifications for both New Yorkers and those who use these programs across the country.
After clearing the House 215-214, the bill moved on to the Senate, where two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it, two others abstained from voting, and one voted “present.”
The primary issues Hochul raised in her numerous criticisms of the measure were the decline in food security due to SNAP benefit cuts and the limitation of access to health care due to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act (ACA) cuts.
She also emphasized the serious problems facing education due to reductions in Pell Grants and the federal loan program, as well as the threats to the “safety and reliability” of the state’s electrical grid.
“Taken together, these provisions represent a regressive shift that threatens to widen educational disparities, destabilize community colleges and minority-serving institutions and undermine national efforts to promote affordable higher education,” Hochul stated.
Hochul also took issue with the choice to only raise the State and Local Tax (SALT) ceiling rather than do away with it completely. According to her, it disadvantages wealthier states, which ultimately gain comparatively less than smaller states nationwide.
She accused the House Republicans from New York who supported Trump’s measure of failing to “advocate for the best interests of their state.” Only Andrew Garbarino, one of the seven Republican representatives from New York, abstained from voting in favor of the bill.
According to official state statistics, the plan would cut $13.5 billion a year from New York’s health care system, mostly through cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplace subsidies.
The changes might result in the closure of safety net and rural hospitals and the loss of health insurance for over 1.5 million New Yorkers.
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Additionally, by narrowing eligibility and shifting more expenses to states starting in 2028, the measure aims to reduce SNAP payments by $267 billion over 10 years. Food assistance for nearly 3 million New Yorkers might be cut, and the state’s annual administrative costs could surpass $2.1 billion.
In contrast to the prior exemption for parents of children under the age of 18, new criteria would compel parents of children 7 and older to work in order to maintain benefits.
Additionally, as the chamber gets ready to vote on the House-passed version of the measure, a few Republican senators have voiced reservations about these issues.
Medicaid cuts have been opposed by Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine.
Elon Musk became enraged and decided to start a verbal spar with the president on Thursday after other skeptic Republicans, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, expressed concerns about the bill’s economic aspects, including the possibility of raising the nation’s debt ceiling by $5 trillion.
