Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful Bill” That Attacks American Families, Slashing Billions From Medicaid And SNAP

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to condemn Republicans’ tax bill that will be going through markup in House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Agriculture today. This piece of legislation is a dangerous attack on American families, slashing billions from vital programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, all to benefit the billionaires that line the pockets of Republicans. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today, the House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Agriculture will begin marking up the main portions of Republicans’ so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

Reports suggest that Republicans may even name their legislation “One [Big,] Beautiful Bill.” That is ridiculous. I suggest Republicans pick a different name, a more honest name.

They should call their bill the Big Grift, because that’s what their bill is. Greedy Republicans in favor of Tycoons. The Big Grift. Billionaires win, American families lose.

There is nothing “beautiful” about the biggest cuts to Medicaid in American history. There is nothing “beautiful” about cutting SNAP – the largest anti-hunger program in America – by over $300 billion dollars. There is nothing “beautiful” about forcing kids to go hungry just to feed corporate greed.

But that’s what Republicans want to do. They want to axe SNAP benefits by $310 billion to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-rich.

Cutting food from the mouth of hungry children for tax breaks for the ultra-rich, that is what they call beautiful? I call it warped.

They want to shift the burden to the states, knowing full well many states won’t be able to make up the gap in funding. That means in states across America and Puerto Rico, kids, seniors, veterans and families will go hungry.

USDA cuts have already decimated food banks. I was just in Albany, where the local food bank had 27 tractor trailers and one million pounds of good, nutritious food for children and others, veterans, elderly who need the food all cancelled because of Donald Trump’s cuts.

Much of that food was produced by local family farms who lost a valuable market. And this is happening across the country, and now Republicans want to add to the devastation by cutting SNAP. That's even a further cut than they've already done, a deeper cut.

Republicans call their SNAP cuts “savings” and “reducing waste.” But those are euphemisms. What it really means is increasing hunger, increasing poverty, and increasing the wealth of the ultra-rich. It is morally indefensible.

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