Connecticut Families at Risk: Congressional Billionaire Budget Heads to the US Senate.

 

A huge fight is shaping up in Connecticut and across the country demanding the US Seante defeat the life-threatening billionaire budget bill debated in the dead of night and passed by the US House. It is the largest transfer of wealth from people's needs to billionaires in history and would cause irreparable harm to all but the top one percent.

Called the “big beautiful bill” by Trump, it has been denounced as a “betrayal to the working people of this country” by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and scores of union, community and faith leaders.

“It will throw millions of children, seniors and families off their health care, gut funding for nursing homes and rural hospitals with devastating effects for care jobs, cut investments in jobs of the future and push food assistance out of reach—all to give the rich and big corporations another tax cut,” she declared.

The key features include a 10-year $4.5 trillion tax cut for corporations and the rich, alongside a $715 billion cut in Medicaid depriving 15 million people of health care, elimination of SNAP food aid to 42 million people, plus ending all aid for pregnant women, infants and toddlers alongside an increase in military spending to at least $1 trillion.

Hidden measures include prohibiting Judges from use of contempt of court, and allowing the IRS to unilaterally declare any non-profit organization, including unions and universities, as “terrorist” groups, losing tax-exemption

“Connecticut families are at risk,” warns Connecticut Voices for Children.in their analysis of how the bill would affect the people of this state. “If enacted,” they say, the policies within the Act would dramatically cut funding for essential programs Connecticut residents rely on, making it harder to access health care, afford food and pursue higher education, while delivering massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and corporate interests.”

A giant national “No Kings Day” action in every state being planned for Saturday June 14, is scheduled for 11 am at the state capitol in Hartford. The protests will build unity and momentum to force the US Senate to vote the bill down. Calls to Congress and visits to the offices of US Senators are underway. 

 

Rev William Barber announced that the Moral Mondays movement he leads is joining with Indivisble to mobilize nationally for “No Kings Day” and oppose the immoral budget, “not only to resist autocracy and mean-spirited policy, but also to build the kind of coalition we need to help this nation become the America we’ve never yet been.” 

 

The measure needs 51 votes to pass the Senate. Of the 53 Republican senators, several are undecided including Murkowski (AL), Collins (ME), Johnson (WI), Paul (KY), Tullis (NC), Hawley (MO). If all Democrats and four Republicans vote no the bill will be defeated.

“Congressional House Republicans have approved the largest cuts in American history to Medicaid and SNAP.  In doing so, they’re breaking their promises to lower costs for families and help people on the margins of the economy,” said Emily Byrne, Executive Director of Connecticut Voices for Children. 

 

“The cost of massive tax cuts for the richest people and most powerful corporations in America are being paid for by low- and middle-income children and families who will now have a harder time paying for healthcare, food, and household essentials,” she said.

 

Calling on policymakers “to oppose the Congressional House budget plan, which increases the national deficit by $3.8 trillion and provides the largest tax giveaway to people who don’t need financial help at the expense of children and families who do,” Connecticut Voices for Children issued a study highlighting the greatest financial impact on Connecticut families and the state budget.

 

“Drastic, proposed funding cuts and structural changes to Medicaid, SNAP, and other core economic security programs will put more children and families at risk of poverty and without food, housing, and healthcare.”  

 

A $715 billion cut to Medicaid over nine years impacts 15 million US residents. The State would be responsible for closing a fiscal reduction to Connecticut of at least $476 million per year. In addition co-pays would increase for those covered by Medicaid expansion.  

 

A $300 billion cut to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) over nine years impasts 40 million US residents and all non-citizens. This means a fiscal reduction to Connecticut of $44 million up to #222 million per year.

 

“Unprecedented proposed changes to higher education and budget increases to enforce a mass deportation agenda.”

Eliminates PELL Grants for students enrolled in college less than half-time. Eliminates subsidized student loans

Adds $150 billion in new money for the Defense Department and national security. Increases to the Department of Homeland Security of $51 billion for a border wall, $45 billion for ICE to build family detention camps plus, and $27 billion for agents.

Eliminates access to the child tax credit from 4.5 million citizen children who reside within immigrant family households.

“Massive, proposed tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy and powerful corporate interests who don’t need tax giveaways while irresponsibly increasing the deficit”

More than $5 trillion in tax cuts, including a permanent extension of tax cuts to wealthy and increases the estate tax exemption to $15 million. Increases to state and local tax deduction caps (SALT) from $10,000 to $40,000 for incumes under $500,000 a year. A 100 percent tax credit for donations to private school voucher groups.

Eliminates the child tax credit for 20 million citizen children in low income working families. Ends green-energy tax cedits by 2028. Increases the US federal deficit by $3.8 trillion.

Connecticut's Congressional delegation voted unanimously in the US House against the bill, and Senators Blumenthal and Murphy are campaigning for defeat of the bill in the US Senate. A massive public outcry is critical to defeat the bill they say.