June 12, 2025

THE LEVIN LETTER: A Warning About the ‘Big Ugly Bill’

House Republicans recently passed a sweeping budget bill that slashes health care, cuts food assistance, raises energy costs, and adds trillions to the national debt—all to pay for massive tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. They call it the “Big Beautiful Bill.”

I call it the “Big Ugly Bill.” But don’t take my word for it

Nonpartisan experts at the Congressional Budget Office, Moody’s, and Wharton—the President’s own alma mater—have all reviewed this legislation. Their verdict is clear: it’s a costly, dangerous mistake.

Estimates are that the bill would leave over 16 million more Americans uninsured by 2034 through deep cuts to Medicaid and the rollback of Affordable Care Act subsidies, while adding $2.4 trillion to the national debt. Moody’s warns it could weaken U.S. creditworthiness. Wharton economists project minimal economic growth alongside long-term fiscal damage.

The consequences go far beyond statistics. The bill cuts more than $800 billion from Medicaid, stripping coverage from nearly 11 million Americans—including over 25,000 people in our Congressional district. These are seniors, veterans, working families, and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid for basic care and long-term services. Changes to the Affordable Care Act would push an additional 5.2 million Americans off coverage. Public health researchers at Yale and Penn estimate that these cuts to health and long-term care programs could result in over 51,000 preventable deaths every year.

Because the bill adds so much to the deficit, it would also trigger automatic spending cuts including nearly $500 billion from Medicare over the next decade. That would put seniors’ access to care at risk and drive up out-of-pocket costs for retirees.

The legislation also cuts $267 billion from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps 42 million Americans afford groceries. At least three million people—including children, low-income workers, and veterans—would lose food assistance entirely. This, at a time when food prices are still too high and food insecurity is rising.

And instead of lowering utility bills, the bill eliminates clean energy tax credits that are already saving families money. The Energy Information Administration and independent studies estimate that repeal of clean energy tax credits would raise household energy costs by more than $400 a year—even as nearly one in three Americans struggles to pay their monthly electric bill.

So, what do everyday Americans get in return? According to Wharton’s analysis, households making less than $51,000 a year would actually see their taxes go up by an average of $700, while those making more than $4.3 million would get an average tax cut of $389,000. That’s not fiscal responsibility; it’s a heist that benefits the wealthiest in our country.

I don’t take this lightly. I stayed up all night on the House Floor fighting this bill. I introduced a commonsense amendment: delay the implementation until it can be independently confirmed that it won’t raise costs for families. House Republicans refused to even allow a vote.

Now the bill heads to the Senate. Some Senate Republicans have already voiced concerns about the extreme cuts to health care and the threat to our long-term fiscal stability. That’s encouraging, but words aren’t enough. They must act. Strip the most harmful provisions and protect the people we represent.

This is about far more than politics as usual. I’ve worked across the aisle on veterans’ care, border security, infrastructure, and much more. I will support any policy—regardless of party—that helps working families. But I will not support a bill that jeopardizes health care and food all while blowing a massive hole in the debt—all to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest in our country.

I believe in compromise. But not when the price is cruelty.


By:  Rep. Mike Levin
Source: Picket Fence Media