'Big Beautiful Bill' faces backlash in the Senate, Illinois lawmaker voices concern
'Big Beautiful Bill' faces backlash in the Senate, Illinois lawmaker voices concern
President Donald Trump’s so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" is encountering resistance in the Senate. Some Republicans oppose proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid, while others say the bill does not cut enough.
ILLINOIS - President Donald Trump’s so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" is encountering resistance in the Senate.
Some Republicans oppose proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid, while others say the bill does not cut enough.
What we know:
All it takes is four Republican senators to block the legislation, which passed the House by a single vote.
The bill extends Trump’s tax cuts, primarily benefiting higher-income earners, and reduces funding for Medicaid and programs such as SNAP, commonly known as food stamps. It would add trillions to the federal deficit, causing concern among some Republicans.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin said the bill could remove hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents from SNAP and potentially force the state to cover a larger share of the costs.
"It's hard to explain why you want to take health insurance away from 16 million families in America. It's difficult to explain why you would cut back on the food for the poorest families in this country. But it's impossible to justify it in terms of tax breaks for the wealthiest people. At the highest levels, the tax break that is being proposed, this is for Elon Musk and his gang, will be $346,000 a year," Durbin said.
Republicans maintain that no one eligible would be removed from Medicaid. They say the cuts target undocumented immigrants and introduce minimum work requirements for eligibility.
Missouri Republican Josh Hawley warned the bill could lead to rural hospital closures. Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson said he would not support the bill unless it includes deeper cuts.
What's next:
If significant changes are made in the Senate, the bill would return to the House for another vote. Given its narrow passage there, its future remains uncertain.