After the U.S. House vote to pass sprawling legislation that extends tax breaks and cuts social services spending in a nod to President Donald Trump’s domestic policy agenda, reaction poured in from all corners of the Massachusetts politics and policy world.
Trump is expected to sign the bill at 5 p.m. Friday, July 4.
Here’s a sampling of the reaction:
U.S. House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark — “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. When hospitals close, nursing homes turn away seniors, and insurance premiums skyrocket, the American people will know it’s Republicans who made their lives harder and more expensive. When kids are forced to skip meals and pregnant moms can’t find an OB/GYN, they will know it’s because Republicans chose to prioritize tax breaks for billionaires. This is not what the American people voted for, and they will not forget this outright betrayal. We will make sure of it.”
U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan — “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. In Massachusetts, the cost of Trump’s betrayal will be devastating. Seniors will lose care, children with disabilities will lose critical support, and working families will struggle just to put food on the table and keep the lights on, all so millionaires and billionaires can pocket tens or even hundreds of thousands more each year in tax breaks.”
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal — “Republicans sealed their fate today. Once again, betraying every promise they’ve made to the American people, and once again, attempting to do it under the cover of night. Thanks to Leader Jeffries’ unshakable resolve, the vote happened in broad daylight, and every American saw exactly who was fighting for them. House Democrats showed the leadership this moment demands. Every job lost, meal missed, and prescription skipped falls squarely on Republicans’ shoulders.”
Mass. Senate President Karen Spilka — “Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ actions will bring real pain to Massachusetts families. Hundreds of thousands of hard-working people stand to lose their health care—whether through stripped coverage or closed providers. Children, seniors, and families could be denied access to food. And adding trillions of dollars to the national debt threatens the stability of our entire economy. No state—not even one as strong and resilient as Massachusetts—can fully make up for the devastating funding cuts this cruel and reckless bill would cause. In the face of these threats, the Massachusetts Senate will continue doing what we’ve always done: working every day to lower costs, build housing, and deliver world-class healthcare, education, and transportation. 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.”
MassGOP, reacting on X to the final vote — USA! USA! USA! #BBB
Gov. Maura Healey, in a video posted to X — “Congress just passed Donald Trump’s budget bill, which was a vote to take away food, take away health care, and make life more expensive for everyone. They were elected to lower costs, but they’ve done just the opposite. They’re kicking hundreds of thousands of people in Massachusetts off their health insurance. This means our rural hospitals, nursing homes and community health centers could close. And whether or not you’re on Medicaid, you’re going to pay more for your health care. They’ve gutted SNAP, which means they’re taking food away from children and families, seniors, veterans, folks with disabilities. Now, at the same time, I’ve been working on a responsible budget for the people of Massachusetts. We want you to have access to health care, to education, transportation. I want you to be able to afford groceries, housing, heat and electricity. That’s what we’re focused on delivering, and we’re not going to let Donald Trump get in the way of that.”
Republicans in Congress just passed President Trump’s budget bill. Instead of lowering costs, they’re:
– Kicking hundreds of thousands of Bay Staters off health insurance
– Taking food away from children, families, seniors, and more
– Making life more expensive for everyone pic.twitter.com/pre6DssSwL— Governor Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) July 3, 2025
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren — “Donald Trump and the Republican Party officially 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. 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.”
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley — “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. This is unforgivable. I remain yours in service to every family who calls the Massachusetts 7th home, and I will never stop fighting for you.”
Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition — “It is both terrifying and sickening to watch President Trump and Congressional leaders gleefully launch this large-scale assault on immigrant and refugee rights. Congress and the administration are shamelessly investing hundreds of billions of dollars to detain and jail, many times without due process, hard-working members of our communities, while cutting off access to invaluable anti-poverty programs. While we are deeply shaken by today’s vote in Washington, we are more committed than ever to preserving the rights of immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts and across the nation.”
Amy Rosenthal, executive director of Health Care for All — “Threatening health care access for individuals and families across Massachusetts is unethical, immoral and represents a flagrant disregard for people’s health and wellbeing. This bill makes the largest cuts to Medicaid in the program’s history and attempts a back door repeal of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, the uninsured rate in Massachusetts is at risk of doubling, leaving more than 400,000 people with no health coverage. We will stand in coalition with our fellow advocates and in partnership with state officials to do what Massachusetts has always done, come together to fight for access to coverage, care and health equity in the Commonwealth.”
Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank — “The Greater Boston Food Bank condemns unprecedented rollbacks to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid included in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. These cuts are the largest in history, reducing or eliminating benefits for seniors, Veterans, children, legally-present immigrants, and working families. This Act shifts responsibility of paying for food and health care programs onto individual states—a burden that no state budget will be able to absorb without significant trade-offs to other critical state-funded social needs programs. SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger, and a proven, cost-effective program that helps 1 in 6 Massachusetts residents, and 1 in 8 across the U.S., to put food on the table. These cuts will force even more food-insecure individuals to turn to an already overextended and underfunded hunger relief network to close their meal gap. GBFB estimates that the charitable food bank and food pantry system in Massachusetts would require approximately $119 million to meet the increased need.”
Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, on X — “Tax cuts for taxpayers, employers are a good thing for the economy. And yes, gov’t at all levels: Federal, State & Local need a reset on spending expansion trends. COVID spending was supposed to be temporary.”
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