WASHINGTON (WHDH) - Early Thursday morning the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package by a vote of 215-214. Championed by President Donald Trump, the bill extends tax cuts and makes changes to multiple programs, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated will result in 8.6 million people losing health care coverage, 3 million people losing SNAP food stamps benefits, all while adding $3.8 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade.
The bill will now go to the U.S. Senate.
Members of the Massachusetts delegation to Congress responded following passage of the legislation Thursday:
Richard Neal, MA-1
“House Republicans just voted to rip health care away from nearly 14 million Americans, cut $500 billion from Medicare, take jobs and manufacturing out of their own districts, and hand billions to the ultra-wealthy. Cowering from the American people doesn’t change what workers and families get in this bill: pennies and higher costs.
“Americans are asking for real relief: lower prices, affordable health care, support for their children and their families. But instead, they’re getting a textbook of broken promises that raises their costs and strips them of their basic needs—all to line the pockets of those at the top once again.
“This isn’t over yet. We’ll see if the Republican Senate has the same indifference to the people’s needs.”
Ayanna Pressley, MA-7
“Today, under the cover of night, House Republicans rammed through a cruel, callous, and morally bankrupt bill that would gut Medicaid, slash food assistance, and kick 14 million people off their healthcare—all to shower toy spaceship billionaires like Donald Trump and Elon Musk with hundreds of billions more in tax giveaways. This legislation would make communities in the Massachusetts 7th and across the country poorer, sicker, hungrier, and more vulnerable.
“This bill would rip food out of the mouths of families already struggling to put meals on the table. It would decimate healthcare in America and worsen our maternal health crisis. It would gut mental health funding under SAMHSA and cut cancer research, putting lives at risk and turning its back on people struggling with addiction, mental health crises, cancer diagnoses, and much, much more.
“This bill is a shameful betrayal of our shared humanity. I urge the Senate to stand with the people and reject this heinous legislation. This is a somber day, but this fight is not over.”
Lori Trahan, MA-3
“While Americans were asleep, House Republicans advanced their disastrous reconciliation bill that rips health care away from 14 million Americans – including 270,000 in Massachusetts – to bankroll tax breaks for their billionaire donors. It slashes $3.7 billion from MassHealth, threatening health care for children, seniors, and working families. At its core, this bill is a heartless transfer of wealth from those who need help the most to those who need it the least.
“Donald Trump’s so-called ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ guts SNAP benefits, taking food off the tables of thousands of families across the Commonwealth already squeezed by higher prices. Instead of closing tax loopholes for the ultra-wealthy, Republicans chose to make it harder for parents to feed their kids. It’s a shameful betrayal of the people we’re elected to serve.
“Despite all their talk of fiscal responsibility, this bill – crafted in secret by Donald Trump and passed in the middle of the night by House Republicans – adds $3.8 trillion to the deficit. That reckless spending triggers automatic cuts, including nearly half a trillion dollars from Medicare. The math doesn’t lie: this bill isn’t about helping working people – it’s about enriching the wealthy at everyone else’s expense.
“I voted no, and I will keep fighting to stop this dangerous bill from becoming law. Working families, seniors, veterans and children across this country deserve leaders who fight for them – not sell them out to the highest bidder.”
Stephen Lynch, MA-8
“I just voted NO on Republicans’ budget bill—the “Big Ugly Bill”. My Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate will never stop fighting on behalf of the American people.”
Seth Moulton, MA-6
“The legislation passed this morning by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives will make Americans sicker, billionaires richer, and our children poorer. I voted against it.”
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