Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” following U.S. Senate approval on June 30. The legislation extends the 2017 tax cuts while adding new ones. It also cuts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid, with more reductions to food assistance for the poor and other government aid.
In response to the bill, NJPP released the following statement.
“This harmful and irresponsible bill threatens New Jersey families by cutting funding for essential programs like health care, food assistance, and housing — programs that hundreds of thousands of residents rely on to stay healthy, fed, and housed.
“The health care cuts alone with devastate New Jersey families. Hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans will either lose their health insurance or face much higher coverage costs. Around 227,000 New Jerseyans will be kicked off Medicaid as they face overwhelming red tape in getting and keeping their coverage. Another 454,000 residents will pay higher premiums through GetCovered NJ. These cuts will hurt working families, older adults, and people with disabilities the most.
“Food programs will also take a major hit. Over 800,000 residents receive food assistance through SNAP, and about 712,000 children rely on the national school lunch program. Reducing this support will increase food insecurity, worsen health outcomes, and put more pressure on schools, food banks, and community organizations.
“Housing costs are already crushing Garden State families. With 51 percent of New Jersey renters spending over 30 percent of their income on rent — already a heavy burden — cutting federal housing assistance will push more people into a housing crisis, especially in a high-cost state like ours.
“This is not just about doing what’s right — it’s about real consequences. Every dollar cut by Congress creates a deeper hole in New Jersey’s already woefully weak safety net and a bigger bill for the state to cover. The timing couldn’t be worse: New Jersey lawmakers just finalized the Fiscal Year 2026 budget and did not plan for these huge federal cuts.
“Meanwhile, the bill delivers massive tax breaks to the wealthy. The top 5 percent of earners in New Jersey — those making more than $471,200 a year — will receive 33 percent of all tax cuts, totaling more than $5.1 billion. But the bottom 20 percent of earners will receive just 1 percent, or about $167 million. This is a deeply unfair approach that benefits the rich while shifting risks and costs onto everyone else.
“New Jersey can’t afford to follow Washington’s lead. Lawmakers must protect vital services — and raise revenue fairly to protect the people hit hardest.”
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