Hochul and Jeffries Raise Concerns Over One Big Beautiful Bill Act
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are urging the Senate to reject President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. They warn it could severely impact healthcare funding and lead to 1.5 million New Yorkers losing insurance. The legislation proposes $700 billion cuts to Medicaid and new requirements for community engagement, which critics say will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. The Senate is set to debate the bill this week.
Concerns are rising as the U.S. Senate prepares for a debate this week over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives, has drawn sharp criticism from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. They held a rally in Brooklyn on Sunday, expressing their fears over the negative impact this bill could have if it turns into law.
Jeffries strongly condemned the act, alleging it would lead to the shutdown of nursing homes, hospitals, and a loss of funding for Community Health Centers. He accused House Republicans of following Trump’s agenda blindly, stating, “House Republicans from New York were nothing more than a rubber stamp for Trump’s reckless and extreme agenda,” and emphasised the need to stop the bill from advancing.
Both Hochul and Jeffries argued that the act threatens vital federal funding for Medicaid and the Essential Plan, potentially leaving around 1.5 million New Yorkers without health insurance. They fear the bill could cause significant financial harm to the state’s hospitals, estimating losses to exceed $3 billion.
Hochul expressed alarm over the potential consequences for those losing Medicaid coverage, predicting a surge in emergency room visits amid hospital overcrowding. She questioned the treatment of fellow citizens, claiming, “What is supposed to happen to them? … They’re going to end up in our emergency rooms.”
The legislation proposes approximately $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid and plans to impose new community engagement requirements, mandating at least 80 hours of work or volunteering per month, starting in January 2029. Hochul lamented that the bill might exploit vulnerable populations: “[House Republicans are] taking a wrecking ball against vulnerable children and families.”
While the administration and supporting Republicans argue the bill aims to eliminate waste and fraud within these systems, the Senate’s upcoming discussions could lead to modifications, necessitating a return to the House for reapproval.
Original Source: spectrumlocalnews.com
