Durbin Condemns Republicans' So-called 'Big, Beautiful, Bill' That Rips 15 Million Americans Off Their Health Care To Fund Tax Breaks For Billionaires

Durbin Condemns Republicans' So-called 'Big, Beautiful, Bill' That Rips 15 Million Americans Off Their Health Care To Fund Tax Breaks For Billionaires

WASHINGTON - Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a rebuke of congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration's so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which slashes approximately $1 trillion in Medicaid funding and $300 billion in Affordable Care Act funding over the next decade. As a result of the legislation and congressional Republicans' failure to address expiring health care subsidies, up to 17 million Americans are projected to lose health insurance coverage, including approximately half a million people in Illinois, and hospitals that rely on Medicaid funding, especially those in rural areas, face risk of closure. Further, it's estimated that 30,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next decade as a result of the bill.

Durbin began his speech by sharing the concerns of dental care providers in Illinois, who met with Durbin yesterday about the impact of OBBB.

"I had a visit in my office, here in Washington, from the head of the largest dental insurance company in the United States. Some of us are fortunate to have dental insurance. We know that it doesn't cover the complete cost of dental care, but it's helpful. And many of us feel fortunate to be in that position," Durbin began. "As a result of the big, beautiful Trump bill, four million Americans are going to lose their dental insurance."

"Why? Because that bill, unfortunately, cut $900 billion in Medicaid. It means that premiums under dental insurance are likely to go up over 90 percent," Durbin said. "Is that something that we bargained for? Was that part the deal that is being described as successful in helping American families?... Up to 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance because of the big, beautiful Trump budget bill that was passed exclusively with Republican votes."

Durbin underscored that rural hospitals across the country are now at high-risk of closure because of congressional Republicans' deep cuts to Medicaid, which these hospitals rely on to remain operational. Further, more than 90 nursing homes in Illinois alone may close as result of the cuts to Medicaid. According to the American Council on Aging, the average annual cost of a nursing home in Illinois is $94,900, which is not feasible for many Illinoisans to pay without assistance. Despite Medicaid covering 63 percent of residents in nursing homes and the high price of care, Republicans slashed Medicaid funding by approximately $1 trillion, endangering the ability of thousands of Americans, many of whom are seniors or people with disabilities, to access the care they need.

"They're [rural hospital administrators] worried many cannot survive the cuts on Medicaid. Medicaid is a critical program, not only for hospitals and clinics, but also for nursing homes. I have nursing home organizers and executives who contacted me and said they don't know if they can keep their doors open," Durbin continued. "If you have found a good, safe, trusting place for your mother, grandmother, or someone in your family, and now run the risk of the facility being closed or the help that's necessary to keep your loved one in the nursing home disappears, you wonder to yourself about what's next."

Durbin then exposed the true motivation for Republicans' betrayal of American families - tax breaks for the wealthy.

"Why would the Republicans going into an election cycle want to have 17 million Americans lose their health insurance; four million lose their dental insurance; rural hospitals, many of them facing closure; clinics unable to stay open in rural areas and downstate areas; and have nursing homes close as well?" Durbin said. "Because they had an overriding determination to make sure that tax breaks were extended for the wealthiest people in America. That's what's behind all of it."

"A family making $35,000 a year, barely getting by, how much of a tax break do they get out of the big, beautiful Trump budget bill? The equivalent of $3 a week," Durbin continued. "If the little guy gets $3 a week, how much do these [wealthy] folks get a week? $6,000 a week in tax breaks for the wealthiest people in America."

"For the people who are struggling paycheck to paycheck, trying to pay the bills, this tax break means little or nothing to them. But for the wealthiest people in America, it means more money piled on at the expense of folks losing their health insurance. That was the choice we were given. Yes, every Democrat voted against it. I was one of them. All the Republicans voted for it. And now they have to try to explain it," Durbin concluded his remarks.

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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