Mass. Democrats say cuts from Trump's bill will be 'devastating,' brace for impact

Massachusetts' all-Democratic Congressional delegation slammed Republicans on Thursday for passing President Trump's sweeping policy bill that would cement tax breaks for the wealthy and constrict the social safety net.

The bill extends Trump's 2017 tax cuts, temporarily ends taxes on tips and overtime, includes new spending on defense and immigration enforcement, and lifts the nation's debt limit by trillions of dollars.

To pay for that, the bill cuts spending on a range of social service programs like Medicaid, the program that provides health care for 70 million low-income, elderly and disabled Americans. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found the bill would cause around 12 million people to lose their health insurance over the next decade.

" I am angry. I mean, I am pissed," U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern said in an interview with WBUR's Morning Edition just ahead of the vote on Thursday. " The American people deserve a hell of a lot better."

McGovern blasted his Republican colleagues who he said "folded" to Trump.

"They know that this bill is devastating for a whole bunch of reasons," he said. "There's some of them who know it's devastating because of the deep cuts in programs like Medicaid and SNAP. We know 16 million people are going to lose their health care. Millions are going to lose their SNAP benefits."

The bill cuts about $285 billion in spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program over the next decade, according to federal estimates. About 1.1 million people in Massachusetts — or 1 in 6 people — relied on SNAP for food assistance last year.

" I don't want anybody in this country to go hungry," McGovern said. "And so we are trying to figure out what options are available to us."

The legislation's passage came just one day ahead of a July 4 deadline set by Trump. The president is expected to sign the bill Friday.

In a video posted to social media just before the vote, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss called the bill a "sucker punch" to Massachusetts hospitals. "This legislation is going to increase wait times at emergency rooms and raise health insurance premiums, even if you don't get care through Medicaid," he said.

"This is unforgivable," U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley said in a statement shortly after the bill passed. "Republicans have passed a bill that will be a death sentence — denying millions medical care, denying children food, and violently deporting immigrant families to destabilized countries."

It's unclear how the passage of the domestic policy bill would immediately impact the state's roughly $61 billion budget, which is currently being reviewed by Gov. Maura Healey. She has until July 10 to sign it, veto it, or suggest amendments.

Previous estimates found Massachusetts would have to find between $185 million and $704 million dollars a year to maintain food stamps at current levels.

Some local Republicans celebrated the bill's passage.

"This is historic legislation that delivers much-needed funds to secure our border and deport criminal illegal immigrants while offering the largest tax cut for middle-class families in years," MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale said in a statement. "Thanks to President Trump our economy is roaring back from the Biden years.”

Several lawmakers said that in the lead up to the midterms they would remind voters of the "betrayal" by Republicans in passing this bill.

"House Democrats will spend every day of the next 16 months making sure moms, dads, seniors, and veterans know that Republicans took away their health care, raised their energy bills, and hiked their grocery costs," House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark said.

"Republicans sealed their fate today," Rep. Richard Neal said. "Every job lost, meal missed, and prescription skipped falls squarely on Republicans’ shoulders."

McGovern in the WBUR interview said Democrats in Congress now need to find ways "to frustrate some of the more nasty elements of this bill from being implemented" and protect vulnerable people.

State Senate President Karen Spilka said her colleagues in the Legislature would work to protect key social services.

"That’s our mission — and we will keep fighting to deliver for every resident, no matter what region you live in or what your circumstances may be," she said in a statement.

But Spilka warned "no state — not even one as strong and resilient as Massachusetts — can fully make up for the devastating funding cuts."

Rep. Lori Trahan said in Massachusetts, the cost of the bill will be devastating.

"Donald Trump’s bill isn’t about helping working families — it’s about giving the wealthiest 1 percent another massive tax break while ripping away health care, food, education, and essential services from millions of Americans," she said.

Sen. Ed Markey said in a statement that "House Republicans bent the knee to their wannabe king, Donald Trump."

"Instead of courage, we saw capitulation to the biggest cuts to health care, food security, and climate solutions in American history," he said. "Republicans betrayed the American people to budget for a big billionaire buy off. They do not care about serving their constituents who elected them to do so. They only serve King Donald."

Se. Elizabeth Warren said Trump and Republicans "sold out working people."

"Every single Republican now owns the fact that 17 million people will lose health care, that the cost of groceries will go up, that student loan payments will go up, and that utility bills will go up — all when families are already struggling with out-of-control costs," she said. "This is a betrayal of working people, and we will never let the Republican Party forget that they chose Donald Trump over the American people."