Democrat Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal said on Wednesday that people have been “sobbing” on her shoulder over how much they hate President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
Jayapal claimed on “CNN News Central” that she has to console strangers in the airport who are “sobbing” over the spending package, which she argued will strip away Medicaid from Americans. The legislation intends to make changes to Medicaid by imposing work requirements on able-bodied adults younger than 65 and limiting state provider taxes, though the White House has repeatedly said there will be no cuts to the program.
“I just can’t emphasize, how, I mean, I’m getting calls and people in the airports [who] recognize me and they’re sobbing on my shoulder because they know that so many people, whether it’s people who are delivering babies, 60% of births in [House Speaker] Mike Johnson’s home state of Louisiana are paid for by Medicaid. Or whether it’s seniors in nursing homes or whether it’s folks with disabilities. These are the people that are gonna be so incredibly hurt by this cruel betrayal of a bill,” Jayapal said. (RELATED: ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Could Shutter Hundreds Of Planned Parenthood Clinics)
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The White House laid out how the legislation intends to deliver “the largest middle- and working-class tax cut in U.S. history,” give low-income workers the “largest percentage reduction” in their tax liability, implement a no tax on tips or overtime policy to help American workers and that it “protects and strengthens Medicaid.”
“As the President has said numerous times, there will be no cuts to Medicaid,” a White House fact sheet stated. “The One Big Beautiful Bill protects and strengthens Medicaid for those who rely on it—pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families—while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. The One Big Beautiful Bill removes illegal aliens, enforces work requirements, and protects Medicaid for the truly vulnerable.”
The Senate narrowly passed the package on Tuesday in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President J.D. Vance breaking the tie. The Senate made multiple changes to the original version by including a $25 billion safeguard fund, altercations to green energy provisions and other tax credits.
The House Rules Committee advanced the legislation to the floor on Wednesday for consideration. Two Republicans, Texas Rep. Chip Roy and South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, joined the Democrats on the committee in opposing the bill, citing concerns about its potential effects on the deficit.
Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio voted against the initial version of the bill in the first House vote. However, Massie told the Daily Caller that he would consider voting in favor of the bill if a “skinny” version of the bill emerges.
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