The U.S. Capitol is pictured on Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
All ten Pennsylvania Republicans voted in support of the massive tax and spending bill that passed the U.S. House early Thursday morning, touting the tax relief, border security and support for working families they said it would provide.
Democrats, including seven in the state性视界传媒檚 delegation, unanimously opposed it. They decried the budget性视界传媒檚 cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, deficit spending and tax cuts for the ultra wealthy, which Rep. Summer Lee (D-12th District) described as 听
性视界传媒淚 voted no. There性视界传媒檚 nothing beautiful about a bill that forces families to choose between taking their kids to the doctor or feeding them,性视界传媒 Lee said. 性视界传媒淲e will continue organizing, pushing, and holding every policymaker accountable until the needs of working people are prioritized over profits.性视界传媒澨
But one moderate Pennsylvania Republican said he would keep working to improve the bill.
性视界传媒淎s this process proceeds, 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,性视界传媒 Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st District) said. 性视界传媒淭his will be a red-line for me before supporting final passage.性视界传媒
His office did not respond to the Capital-Star性视界传媒檚 request for additional details.
The budget reconciliation, dubbed by Republican leaders, passed by a , with two Republicans, Ohio性视界传媒檚 Warren Davidson and Kentucky性视界传媒檚 Thomas Massie, opposed. It will now go to the Senate, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said House Republicans will work with their Senate counterparts toward a goal of winning approval in the upper chamber and getting the bill to President Donald Trump性视界传媒檚 desk by July 4.
The 1,116-page omnibus combines 11 bills that GOP lawmakers voted out of committee this spring.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said the budget, as it stands, would have a 性视界传媒渧ery real impact性视界传媒 on Pennsylvanians.
性视界传媒淭his morning, every single Republican member of Pennsylvania性视界传媒檚 congressional delegation voted to cut healthcare and food assistance from hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians and speed up the closure of dozens of rural hospitals across our Commonwealth 性视界传媒 all while increasing our national deficit by $2.3 trillion,性视界传媒 .
Other Democrats, including Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-4th District), said the even higher. 性视界传媒淭oday, House Republicans passed a bill that sacrifices critical programs for millions of everyday Americans to pay for another tax cut for the rich 性视界传媒 blowing up the deficit by an estimated $5 trillion in service of the President性视界传媒檚 cruel, corrupt purposes,性视界传媒 Dean said in a statement.
Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would shift $1 billion in food assistance costs to the state, putting benefits for 140,000 people in question. More than 300,000 Pennsylvanians could lose Medicaid benefits, rolling back efforts to reduce the number of uninsured people and increasing the cost of health care for everyone, Shapiro性视界传媒檚 statement said.听
And the cuts to Medicaid could hurt 25 rural hospitals across the state that are already financially struggling and rely on the medical assistance program, increasing the likelihood they could close.听
性视界传媒淎ny lawmaker in D.C. who thinks the commonwealth can backfill this massive hole they性视界传媒檝e created is wrong 性视界传媒 and these cuts will have real life consequences for Pennsylvanians. As this heads to the Senate for a vote, I hope common sense and a concern for the people of Pennsylvania will prevail,性视界传媒 Shapiro said.
Republican members of Pennsylvania性视界传媒檚 congressional delegation highlighted the bill性视界传媒檚 provisions to advance the Trump administration性视界传媒檚 priorities.
性视界传媒淎fter years of wide-open borders, uncontrolled inflation, and government spending run amok, this budget finally addresses the needs of our community and our country,性视界传媒 Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-7th District) .听
H.R. 1 would provide $69 billion to complete border barriers, hire more Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, expand deportation capacity and stop drug and human trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Although it includes deep cuts to Medicaid spending, reducing the program by $625 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office, Republicans including Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-8th District) said the bill would and ensure tax dollars are used prudently.
性视界传媒淒uring this process, I fought to protect social safety net programs from the waste, fraud, and abuse that have threatened their long-term solvency. By ensuring states are not using Medicaid dollars on illegal aliens, conducting more frequent eligibility checks, and requiring work for able-bodied recipients 性视界传媒 we are securing Medicaid for those who truly need it,性视界传媒 Bresnahan said in a statement.
He noted the Medicaid work requirements exempt children and seniors, pregnant women, students, disabled veterans and those with medical conditions including mental health and substance use disorders.
Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9th District) for businesses and working families that would help improve the nation性视界传媒檚 economy.
性视界传媒淧assing this bill will increase production so supply better meets demand, thereby reducing inflation. And with lower inflation comes lower interest rates, which leads to greater investment and more American production,性视界传媒 he said in a statement.
The legislation would eliminate tax on tips and overtime 性视界传媒 among Trump性视界传媒檚 populist campaign promises 性视界传媒 expand the child tax credit from $2,000, and establish savings accounts for newborns.
It would also extend provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to benefit manufacturers and small businesses by allowing them to write off research and development costs and bonuses and expanding the small business deduction to 23%, Meuser性视界传媒檚 office said.
