Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick could have stopped President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” that will slash Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits spending by almost $1 trillion.
Fitzpatrick’s single vote could have stopped the bill that passed 215-214 Thursday morning in the House.
Instead, the self-described moderate fell in line with the MAGA leadership of the Republican Party and his single vote sent the budget bill that will take food and health care away from millions of Americans to the Republican-controlled Senate. Two Republicans who were independent enough to vote against the budget were Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio.
“Fitzpatrick had the opportunity today to stand up for seniors, for our children, for working families, and for all of us. Instead, Fitzpatrick does what he always does, he did what he was told. Donald Trump demanded Fitzpatrick vote for this bill, and without a fight, he obeyed,” said Bob Harvie, a Democrat running for Fitzpatrick’s seat next year. “That’s cowardice. It’s time for Fitzpatrick to step aside.”
Fitzpatrick issued a press release after his vote to pass the bill, claiming he followed through with his promise to protect Medicaid.
“I will be working closely with the Senate to make constructive changes to this bill, specifically in the energy, workforce, and health portions of the bill so we can strengthen SNAP and Medicaid solvency for the long-term and ensure access for the most vulnerable that truly need assistance,” he said. “This will be a red-line for me before supporting final passage.”
Yet Fitzpatrick voted for a bill that the Congressional Budget Office estimates will cut $698 billion in federal Medicaid spending, which would cause approximately 8.6 million people, if not more, to lose their health care coverage by 2034. These apparently weren’t red lines, unless of course he thinks this is necessary to strengthen “Medicaid solvency.”
“The healthcare workers of Bucks County and the people we care for are disappointed that Congressman Fitzpatrick voted to advance a bill that will kick families off their health insurance while increasing the national debt and extending even larger tax breaks to the richest billionaires in America,” said SEIU Healthcare PA Union President Matthew Yarnell. “Burdensome new red tape and paperwork requirements won’t save lives or money, and they will result in hardworking Pennsylvanians, children, veterans, people with disabilities, seniors, and the most vulnerable in our communities losing care. This is un-American.”
The budget also reduces $267 billion federal spending cuts for SNAP. The CBO states that 3 million less people a month will have SNAP food stamps benefits as a result.
“The bill will drive up hunger and deepen poverty, including among children, and take access to life-saving health care away from millions of people.” – Sharon Parrott, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
According to estimates by the Center for American Progress, in Fitzpatrick’s first congressional district which encompasses all of Bucks County and a sliver of neighboring Montgomery County, 12,000 constituents will lose health care coverage and 15,000 will be at risk of losing some or all of their SNAP benefits. The numbers across the state are 340,000 and 401,000 respectively.
“The bill will drive up hunger and deepen poverty, including among children, and take access to life-saving health care away from millions of people,” Sharon Parrott, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), said in a statement. Parrott added that “the bill’s SNAP provisions are so extreme that some states … could even decide to end their SNAP programs entirely.”
In addition, the bill adds work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. They would need to fulfill 80 hours a month on a job or in other community activities.
Similarly, to receive food stamps through SNAP, those up to age 64, rather than 54, who are able-bodied and without dependents, would need to meet the 80 hours a month work or community engagement requirements. Additionally, some parents of children older than 7 years old would need to fulfill the work requirements.
“This Republican budget is nothing short of a billionaire giveaway paid for by Pennsylvania seniors. While the top 1% rake it in, Pennsylvania families are having quality, affordable health care stolen from them,” said DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman. “Time and time again, Trump and House Republicans are making it crystal clear they have no regard for the well-being of Pennsylvanians, and their catastrophic budget bill is proof.”
The social program cuts will help the GOP extend some $4.5 trillion in tax breaks they engineered during Trump’s first term in 2017. The CBO said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion.
“The House Republican bill showers more tax cuts on the wealthy, extending the highly skewed provisions of the 2017 tax law and adding permanent expansions for wealthy households, while leaving millions of children in working families with low incomes out of even the temporary increase in the Child Tax Credit,” said CBPP’s Parrott. “In 2027, it gives households earning more than $1 million a year an average tax cut of roughly $90,000, while low-income households receive an average of just $90 from the tax cuts — even while these households bear the brunt of cuts to Medicaid and SNAP and face higher prices due to the President’s tariffs, which the bill does nothing to address.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting to this article. This article has been updated.
