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One ‘Big’ Bill
In a move that has sent shockwaves through policy circles and advocacy groups, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping budget and tax bill into law on July 4, 2025. Dubbed by supporters as the “One Big, Beautiful” law, the legislation cements the previous Trump-era tax cuts, boosts funding for fossil fuels and border security. It imposes deep cuts to healthcare and social safety net programs. Critics warn the bill will have devastating consequences for scores of Americans and the environment.
At a July 11 American Community Media briefing, a panel of leading experts sliced and diced the far-reaching implications of this bill.
Larry Levitt, Executive Vice President for Health Policy at KFF, described the bill as the most consequential rollback of federal health coverage since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted 15 years ago.
“This bill wasn’t framed as healthcare reform, but it effectively repeals huge parts of the ACA,” Levitt said. The legislation includes a cut of $900 billion to Medicaid—the biggest in the program’s history—and introduces new work requirements that could result in 4.8 million people losing coverage.
Uninsured Americans Increasing
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will increase the number of uninsured Americans by nearly 12 million over the next decade. “These changes are backloaded,” Levitt noted, “but the scale is staggering. We’re looking at a massive erosion of health coverage, particularly for low-income and immigrant communities.”
Natasha Sarin, a professor at Yale Law School and a former Treasury Department official, warned that the bill’s fiscal impact will be regressive and will make the economy unstable. “This is reverse Robin Hood economics,” she said. “We’re taking from the bottom and giving to the top.”
Sarin believes the bill will increase the federal deficit by $3 to $4 trillion over the next decade and push the debt-to-GDP ratio to 135 percent. While the top 1 percent of earners will receive an average annual tax cut of $30,000, the bottom 40 percent will see a net loss in income due to cuts in Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
Economic impact
Sarin also spoke about the broader economic impact: “Higher deficits mean higher interest rates, which will raise the cost of mortgages, student loans, and small business borrowing. This bill will shrink the economy in the long run.”
Bill McKibben, an environmentalist and founder of the Third Act, painted a grim picture of the bill’s environmental impact. “At a time when the world is racing toward clean energy, this bill slams the brakes,” he said. The legislation phases out tax credits for solar, wind and electric vehicles, which were the key components of the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.
McKibben warned that the rollback will lead to job losses in the renewable energy sector and higher utility bills for consumers. “We’re handing the future of clean energy to China while making it harder for Americans to afford electricity,” he said.
Climate & Community
The bill also slashes funding for climate monitoring agencies like NASA and NOAA and cuts FEMA’s disaster response budget. “We’re turning off the satellites that track climate change,” McKibben said. “And with FEMA underfunded, communities hit by disasters will be left to fend for themselves.”
The speakers underlined the fact that the bill will disproportionately harm communities of color, immigrants, and rural residents. “Medicaid and ACA coverage have been lifelines for these groups,” Levitt said. “Now, they’re being targeted by red tape and eligibility restrictions.”
McKibben added that environmental justice will also suffer. “Pollution from fossil fuels already hits low-income neighborhoods hardest. This bill ensures that continues.”
The panelists urged the public to stay informed and engaged. “This wasn’t a healthcare election,” Levitt said, “but the consequences for healthcare are enormous.”
McKibben called for grassroots mobilization ahead of the 2026 midterms. “We need to show up in the streets and at the ballot box,” he said. “The stakes couldn’t be higher.”