The Eye of the Beholder

On May 22, 2025, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R.1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This budget reconciliation bill is problematic for vulnerable communities, with many religious leaders, activists and advocates calling for a humane budget, one that will attend and address the needs of those Jesus called “the least of these.” Our communities must act now as the bill makes its way to the Senate for a vote.

The first line of the summary of the bill states: “This bill reduces taxes, reduces or increases spending for various federal programs, increases the statutory debt limit, and otherwise addresses agencies and programs throughout the federal government.” The White House notes that the bill “will be an economic windfall for working and middle-class Americans, delivering the largest tax cut in history, higher wages, higher take-home pay, and much more — coupled with generational spending cuts and deficit reduction that will position the U.S. for real prosperity.”

Yet, there are overwhelming concerns about the cuts to federal programs included in the budget, which would impact the most vulnerable communities. While the bill would provide tax relief for the wealthy, it would slash health care, Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) for those who are not. While the bill defunds most federal programs for the poor, it would specifically reduce federal Medicaid spending by $793 billion over the next 10 years and federal SNAP (food stamps) spending by $300 billion over the next 10 years.

In 2024, over 41 million people received SNAP benefits, with over 65 million enrolled in Medicare. The cuts to these programs would mean that by 2034, “roughly 16 million people would lose health coverage and become uninsured because of the Medicaid cuts” while 5.2 million would lose access to Medicaid.

Cuts to Medicaid will have broader impact beyond those enrolled, with a disproportionate impact on healthcare providers, including hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices. Hospitals in rural and low-income areas rely heavily on Medicaid. These facilities are projected to be hit hardest, and many may be forced to close their doors. Such closings would further disenfranchise these communities.

Health care and anti-hunger programs have long been a part of the federal budget, their presence an acknowledgement of the poor, the hungry, and those in need of healthcare, which is an expense many still cannot afford in the United States. While billions are being cut in programs, other programs are being added and funded. These program cuts will not provide all that is needed for billions to support newly devised immigrations priorities and defense spending.

Identified cuts are funding $168 billion in new spending on the President Trump immigration agenda, including the deportation and detention of 1 million immigrants annually. The administration’s aggressive deportation and detention agenda has already been experienced in these 153 days since the president took office. The enforcement of these policies comes at the expense of the needs of the poor, while creating undue hardship for immigrants within the United States, not only undocumented immigrants.

Increased federal spending for selective and discriminatory deportation and the use of third-party detention centers outside the United States do not address US immigration policies. Instead, these practices raise concerns for the human rights of immigrants in the US. Along with these concerns, the budget bill will add trillions of dollars to the national debt.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” comes to mind as the 119th Congress considers the One Big Beautiful Bill. Beauty in this case is absent for millions who will experience cuts in care and benefits as a result of proposed cuts. The beauty of this bill will be experienced by those who are wealthy for whom tax cuts are promised.

While faith communities and nonprofit organizations will continue to assist in addressing the needs in their communities, people of faith must continue to be strong advocates for changes to this budget bill and for allocations to support the needs of the poor, the hungry, and those in need of care in our communities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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