House Passes Contentious Bill Cutting Medicaid, Food Aid Amid Unanimous Democratic Opposition

President Donald Trump strongly defended the recently passed tax and spending package, dubbed the “big, beautiful bill,” at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, criticizing Democrats for unanimously opposing it and accusing them of hating the country. The bill, which includes tax cuts, deep Medicaid reductions, expanded immigration enforcement funding, and cuts to food assistance programs, narrowly passed the House in a 218-214 vote, with only two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. The legislation has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and healthcare advocates, particularly in Oregon, where leaders and the Oregon Nurses Association condemned the bill for threatening Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands and harming rural hospitals. Oregon’s lone Republican congressman, Cliff Bentz, who voted in favor, faced fierce backlash for siding with the bill, with critics arguing he failed his constituents by supporting policies favoring the wealthy at the expense of vulnerable families. Despite warnings from state leaders, including Governor Tina Kotek, about the bill’s negative impact, the Trump administration hailed it as a signature win. The Congressional Budget Office projected the bill could add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, a figure dismissed by Republican leaders.