Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin issued a dire warning Thursday, saying Americans will “die” as a result of President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill, which passed the House by a razor-thin margin and now heads to the president’s desk for signing.
The legislation — dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill” — includes trillions in tax cuts and deep reductions to federal programs such as Medicaid and food assistance.
Martin blasted the bill in a fiery statement, calling it “one of the worst bills in our nation’s history” and saying it will devastate families across the country. “Americans will starve, lose critical medical care, lose their jobs — and yes, some will die as a result of this bill,” he said.
Martin continued, “This massive scheme to steal from working families, children, and seniors will devastate communities in both red and blue states. We know the numbers: 17 million will lose health care, over 5 million will lose food assistance, and millions will lose their jobs. But we must also know the stories: Had this bill passed when I was growing up, I would not be here today.”
Despite unanimous Democratic opposition and a split within the GOP, the bill narrowly passed the House 218–214, with two Republicans crossing the aisle to vote no. It follows days of intense debate and an overnight vote session that included a record-breaking speech from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who spoke for over eight hours in opposition.
The legislation makes permanent $4.5 trillion in tax breaks from Trump’s first term, while introducing new deductions such as allowing workers to write off tips and overtime. Seniors earning less than $75,000 per year would also get a $6,000 tax deduction.
But the bill slashes $1.2 trillion from Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps) over the next decade — a move Democrats and health advocates say will leave over 11 million Americans without health coverage, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office. The bill also increases the deficit by an estimated $3.3 trillion.
In addition to economic policies, the bill allocates $350 billion toward national security initiatives, including Trump’s controversial “Golden Dome” missile defense system and funding for expanded deportation operations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated the bill’s passage, calling it “a once-in-a-generation conservative victory.”
“With one Big Beautiful Bill, we are going to make this country stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before,” he said.
But Martin vowed Democrats would not back down. “We will fight back,” he said. “This fight is far from over.”
