The House of Representatives on May 22 narrowly passed the Republican budget bill by a vote of 215 to 214 after an all-night session. The legislation goes to the Senate, which is expected to try to make significant changes. There is speculation that enough Republicans in the Senate may side with Democrats to kill the bill. President Trump has termed the legislation the “big, beautiful bill.”
The bill would cut federal expenditures for health care by about one trillion dollars, raise the debt by about $4 trillion dollars and provide about $4 trillion in tax breaks, most of which would go to the wealthy and corporations.
Democratic Congressman George Latimer who represents New York’s 16th Congressional District covering parts of Westchester and the Bronx, voted against the bill.
“This is America’s worst budget ever,” Latimer said. “This is essentially a tax scam to help the wealthiest Americans and take away health care and food assistance from people who need it to survive. It is so harmful and unpopular that Republicans had the debate in the middle of the night and the vote before America woke up.”
Latimer said that 196,000 people in his district will lose access to Medicaid, including 73,000 children and 27,000 seniors. He said cuts in the federal nutrition program, SNAP, will result in 74,000 people in his district not being able to put food on their tables. He pointed out that the bill keeps a cap on the deductibility of state and local taxes from federal tax returns, meaning New Yorkers will continue to pay more. He the Trump/GOP budget bill guts environmental protections established by the Inflation Reduction Act. Latimer said that budget cuts could make it difficult for some hospitals in his district to remain open.
“People will get sicker,” Latimer said. “Kids will go hungry. Families will pay more for gas and home electric bills while our world continues to warm due to climate change. No matter how you spin it, everyday Americans will suffer.”
Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, voted in favor of the bill. He issued a statement that did not address health care issues but focused on the SALT cap, which will continue in effect but with a higher cap. Lawler pointed out that the legislation raises the cap on deductibility of state and local taxes on federal tax returns from the current $10,000 to $40,000.
“The taxpayers of New York State will soon receive huge relief thanks to the deal the SALT Caucus brokered with Speaker Johnson and President Trump,” Lawler said in his statement released after the vote. “With President Trump’s support, the bipartisan SALT Caucus succeeded in quadrupling the SALT deduction, which will be a massive lift to millions of New Yorkers. This was my number one focus in Washington from Day One of being here, and I’m thrilled that we find ourselves here today.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican who represents the 21st Congressional District in Upstate New York said she was the deciding vote in the narrow passage of the bill.
“More than 77 million Americans gave House Republicans and President Trump a mandate to cut taxes, secure our borders, restore energy independence, and deliver peace through strength,” Stefanik said. “This legislation includes key provisions that will benefit hardworking New York families. I was especially proud to work with my New York Republican colleagues to lead on delivering significant tax relief for New Yorkers by increasing the state and local tax cap by 300% – a win for hard working families struggling under the weight of the highest tax burden in the nation because of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s failed Far Left tax and spend Democrat policies.”
When the Senate takes up the legislation, leading the Democratic opposition will be Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
“This is as cruel and heartless as it gets,” Schumer has said of the Republican budget plan. “From Long Island to the North Country, people will lose their health care, hospitals and nursing homes will shutter, premiums will go up, and health care workers will lose their jobs.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said, “This morning, New York Republicans in Congress caved to the billionaire class at the expense of the constituents they serve. With the passage of this budget, the Republican delegation tore up SNAP benefits, slashed funding for affordable housing, killed clean energy projects and enacted the largest Medicaid cut in history — and they did it all while still managing to roll over on the SALT cap. Pathetic.
“New Yorkers deserve representatives who are fighting to bring down the cost of their families’ medical and grocery bills, not line the pockets of the ultra-wealthy.”
