[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 117 (Tuesday, July 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4246-S4247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this weekend, across the country, we 
observed our Nation's 249th Independence Day, a day intended to 
celebrate a government of, by, and for the people, in Lincoln's words. 
But this Independence Day was anything but a celebration in one 
respect, and that is because, this Fourth of July, the President and 
congressional Republicans decided to sign their so-called Big Beautiful 
Bill, and in so doing, they retreated from the values that our Founders 
etched in the Declaration, ``that all Men are created equal,'' not just 
the wealthy and well-connected.
  Americans across this Nation overwhelmingly oppose this bill--and for 
good reason. You see, this bill signed by the President on the Fourth 
of July is the largest cut in healthcare and the largest cut in 
nutrition assistance in history, slashing more than $1 trillion from 
healthcare programs like Medicaid and $200 billion from the SNAP 
program.
  Seventeen million Americans will lose their health insurance. Health 
insurance premiums will rise for another 20 million Americans. Three 
million people will have food taken off the table, including kids, 
seniors, and veterans.
  I can't understand the celebration of the facts that I have just 
read.
  I have heard misstatements. One misstatement was: Don't worry. The 
people we take off Medicaid will be the illegal immigrants.
  They are not eligible for Medicaid, and they are certainly not in 
that calculation of 17 million Americans.

[[Page S4247]]

  Why do we do these things? Why would any government do these things 
to so many innocent people?
  In this case, very simply, it is to give tax breaks to the wealthiest 
Americans and the biggest corporations. The richest Americans will be 
seeing $400,000 more in tax cuts in their pockets every year because of 
this legislation. I don't know how their lifestyle--if you are a 
millionaire or something like that and you get a tax break of $400,000, 
what does that money do to change your life?

  Well, I can tell you this: One thing that will change your life 
forever is to face a dramatic medical challenge in your family and not 
have health insurance to cover you. I have been there, and I have lived 
through that. It is something you never wish on anyone. And yet 17 
million Americans, unfortunately, will lose their health insurance 
under this bill, the Big Beautiful Bill, signed by President Trump.
  Despite a last-ditch effort--there was a failing attempt at buying 
votes and pretending to care about rural areas, like my area of 
Downstate Illinois--more than 300 rural hospitals and 500 nursing homes 
may be forced to close because of these cutbacks in Medicaid. That is 
because this Big Beautiful Bill cripples the Medicaid Program that 
keeps our rural hospitals and communities afloat. That includes HSHS 
St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, IL, where Medicaid pays for 53 
percent of the hospitalization; St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia, IL, 
where Medicaid pays for 42 percent of hospitalizations; and OSF St. 
Clare Hospital in Princeton, IL, where Medicaid covers 45 percent of 
the hospitalizations.
  The administrators in these hospitals have warned us that this could 
be the breaking point. Many of these hospitals barely survive, barely 
keep their doors open. Now, all of these hospitals--already operating 
on the margins--may face impossible decisions to scale back services. 
For what? To pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest people in this 
country.
  Aside from hospitals, there is also going to be a major consequence 
on American energy. I commend to my colleagues and those who are 
following this debate, in today's New York Times, an article by Thomas 
Friedman. He talks about the impact on energy from the decisions made 
by the signing of this bill.
  This bill kills solar, wind, and EV tax credits enjoyed by companies 
and consumers alike, all but ceding the future of electricity to China 
and risking billions of dollars of investments in renewable energy--
ironically, mostly in Republican States.
  While working families grapple with the consequences of these cuts, 
they are going to see the family home expenses increase by $1,000 a 
year. Utility bills are going up because of this bill--this bill signed 
by the President, the Big Beautiful Bill.
  The Chicago Tribune recently shared a story of Isaiah Rogers, a 61-
year-old man who lives in the West Pullman neighborhood in Chicago. 
Several years ago, Isaiah was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. As a 
result of this diagnosis, he has not been able to return to his job, 
trimming trees, and has been working small side jobs. Medicaid pays for 
Isaiah's doctor visits and his insulin.
  A single father without a high school degree, Isaiah is concerned 
that the bill's cuts and changes to Medicaid will result in his losing 
his health coverage. And if Isaiah loses Medicaid, he will no longer be 
able to afford his insulin and other medications. He may face a 
diabetic complication or coma or even suffer a stroke. What will that 
mean to his 12-year-old son?
  It is unconscionable to think that the other party would pull the 
plug on lifesaving health coverage and deny food to our most needy 
children, but that is exactly what they voted for and celebrated on 
July 4.
  As Republicans moved this megabill through Congress, Democrats did 
our best, in the minority, to push back. Over the course of 27 hours, 
Senate Democrats forced votes on many amendments to put Republicans on 
notice and show their constituents what their real positions are on 
issues. It was the longest vote-arama in the history of the Senate. It 
included putting Republicans on the record, voting against nursing home 
care, home healthcare, food assistance for children of veterans, 
protections for Medicaid, clean energy jobs--and the list goes on. And 
an expansion of the child tax credit, an idea that has proven 
successful--all that was sacrificed to give billionaires tax cuts 
instead.
  In the end, three sensible Senate Republicans looked at this ugly 
betrayal of a bill and agreed they couldn't be part of the process. I 
commend them. But, sadly, three votes on the other side of the aisle 
wasn't enough. We needed one more.
  And who swooped in to cast his vote--the decisive vote? Vice 
President Vance. He showed up at the last minute and cast a tie-
breaking vote in the Senate to push the bill across the finish line.
  A few short years ago, then-Vice President Harris broke a tie in this 
very Chamber to pass the largest climate investment bill in history and 
to lower prescription drug prices for millions of Americans--what a 
sharp contrast. This Vice President cast a deciding vote that will be 
painful for so many families across America, and he could have done so 
much more and so much better for the people of this Nation. That is the 
difference in priorities. In politics, it basically boils down to: 
Whose side are you on?
  As the effects of this bill take shape and slither their way through 
our communities, our Republican colleagues will have to look their 
constituents in the eyes and explain their votes. They will have to 
explain to a farmer who now must drive an additional 50 miles to the 
nearest hospital why they had to shut the community hospital doors. 
They will have to explain to the grandmother at a nursing home why her 
care is being slimmed down or eliminated because of cutbacks to 
Medicaid. They will have to explain to the young mother preparing to 
have a baby why there is no longer a maternity ward in her county.
  This bill flies in the face of American values that we celebrate on 
the Fourth of July and everything we stand for. The other party has a 
lot of explaining to do, and the American people are going to face the 
consequences.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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