Dear Neighbor,
We are now 11 days past the July 1 state budget deadline, and House Democrats remain committed to advancing a people-first agenda that lifts up and benefits all Pennsylvanians. While negotiations continue, rank-and-file members have not yet seen any final language, but I will continue to share any updates as they become available.
Federal budget cuts impact Pennsylvanians
The big news this past week has been the passage of the federal budget reconciliation bill, which the president signed into law on July 4. Despite repeated assurances from the president and Congressional Republicans that the budget would not cut essential programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, analyses by the Congressional Budget Office, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, and other nonpartisan entities reveal significant cuts that will affect access to healthcare, force nursing homes and hospitals to close, and worsen food insecurity in every state, including Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania alone, as many as 25 rural hospitals are at risk of closure. We have seen the impacts and ripple effects when the Brandywine and Jennersville hospital closures happened here in Chester County. The hospitals most at risk from these federal budget cuts serve even more rural and remote communities, which are now at risk of becoming total healthcare deserts. The federal budget bill also cuts federal funding for basic reproductive healthcare like cancer screenings and STI testing, putting 200 healthcare centers across the country at risk of closure.
Additionally, the bill eliminates funding for many clean energy and infrastructure projects, resulting in higher electric bills, threats to grid stability as we work to meet higher energy demand, and the loss of jobs and economic growth associated with proposed energy projects. In Pennsylvania, the loss of federal tax credits for solar development will make it harder for school districts to take advantage of the popular, bipartisan Solar for Schools program enacted just last year.
In a time when working families are already struggling with the increased costs of living, these cuts at the federal level put additional pressures on the state budget, state and county agencies, and the local organizations that serve our communities.
As our neighbors lose access to federally funded programs like SNAP and Medicaid, many will turn to local organizations like the Cheser County Food Bank for support. This means that state-funded programs like the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) and the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP) are more important now than ever, but they do not come close to filling the gaps left by the loss of SNAP funds.
Beyond the local harm, this bill accelerates the broader transfer of wealth to the richest Americans at the expense of the middle and working class. By extending or expanding massive tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and large corporations — paid for by gutting programs that seniors, working families, and people with disabilities rely on—this bill deepens inequality and undermines the economic security of our communities. Instead of investing in priorities that help all of us — like affordable health care, education, jobs, research, and infrastructure — it concentrates even more resources at the top, where they benefit the fewest, wealthiest Americans, leaving less opportunity and stability for everyone else.
Some of the cuts made in this bill will be delayed, as they were intentionally designed to go into effect only after the November 2026 midterm elections. Several of the bill’s supporters either misrepresented or misunderstood what’s in it and how many Americans would be impacted, right up until (and sometimes even after) the final vote.
It’s important to know that nothing has changed about Medicaid yet. Eligible individuals can and should continue to apply for and access their coverage, benefits, and services as you normally would. If you have problems accessing coverage, please reach out. My team is here to help, and we will continue to share updates as the impacts of this federal reconciliation bill on our commonwealth and our local communities become more clear.