CBO Finds GOP Megabill Shifts Wealth From Poor to Rich

The Republican megabill currently advancing in the House of Representatives proposes significant tax cuts that predominantly benefit the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans while cutting funding for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would negatively impact low-income households. Analyses from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reveal that the legislation would reduce household resources for the poorest Americans by up to 4 percent by 2033, while increasing resources for the wealthiest through tax breaks. Critics, including Democrats and policy experts, argue that the bill represents the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in U.S. history, emphasizing that it would lead to millions losing health insurance and food assistance. Republicans defend the bill by asserting it protects Medicaid for those most in need, promotes economic growth, and avoids tax hikes for millions, although the CBO estimates that new work requirements and spending cuts to Medicaid would cause significant coverage losses. The legislation reflects internal GOP tensions between traditional business-aligned conservatives and Trump-aligned populists, as the party struggles to balance tax benefits for the wealthy with promises to working-class voters. As House leaders push for a swift vote, the debate underscores the ongoing partisan conflict over the future direction of fiscal and social policy in America.