New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “These cuts will have a devastating impact on all New Yorkers, leaving an estimated 1.5 million people in New York uninsured, stripping social and health care safety net services, driving up food insecurity and leaving hospitals to shoulder the burden of increasing health care costs. These cuts to health care coverage are unprecedented and cruel. The State Department of Health will continue to work with Governor Kathy Hochul, our dedicated hospital systems and state agency partners to take every measure possible to mitigate the impact of this bill.”
State Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda said, “The so-called “Big Ugly Bill” is not just a political threat; it’s a direct assault on the most vulnerable in our community. In the Bronx and across New York City, hundreds of families will see their health and food benefits cut, while hospitals face financial collapse. Our community faces the loss of more than $900 million in SNAP benefits, while more than 27,000 people will lose their Medicaid coverage and more than 4,000 will be excluded from the Essential Plan. I represent the 32nd Senate District — one of the poorest districts in New York — where families depend heavily on these essential services to meet their most basic needs. This is more than a budgetary concern; it is a humanitarian crisis that demands thoughtful action. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the State Legislature to develop a comprehensive plan that not only safeguards these vital supports but also strengthens them, ensuring all New Yorkers have the stability and resources they need to thrive.”
State Senator Robert Jackson said, “This ‘Big Ugly Bill’ is more than bad policy—it’s partisan cruelty and a direct assault on the health, dignity, and survival of millions of New Yorkers. At a time when families are already struggling under the weight of rising costs, Washington Republicans have chosen to rip food from children’s tables, medicine from our elders, and lifelines from working people. In New York, we know health care is not a privilege to be rationed—it is a right that must be defended. That is why I stand with my colleagues to reject these cruel cuts and to fight with every tool of law and legislation to protect our hospitals, safeguard SNAP, and ensure that no family is forced to choose between feeding their children and healing their loved ones. Our message is clear: we will not let ideology triumph over humanity. We choose care over cruelty, justice over sabotage, and a government that serves the people—not punishes them.”
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “The reconciliation bill would cut health coverage for over a million New Yorkers, reduce nutrition assistance, and strain hospitals across our state. At a time when families are working hard to get ahead, we should be focused on expanding access and strengthening the safety net. When we do that, families are healthier, communities are stronger, and New York moves forward together.”
Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said, “Trump’s legislation passed by the Republican Congress will have a devastating impact in New York and throughout the country. The cuts to healthcare, to SNAP benefits, and so much more, will pay for tax cuts to the super rich and corporations. This would be the largest transfer of wealth, from poor to rich, in the history of the world. This will not only affect an incredible amount of people, but it will also explode the federal deficit. This is unacceptable and we need to fight this in every possible way.”
Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia said, “The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress are working to implement their radical agenda on the backs of our most vulnerable families. The so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is nothing more than an attack on working-class New Yorkers. Stripping health care from over two million people and cutting food assistance for hundreds of thousands of households will devastate communities like ours in the Bronx. These cuts will shutter hospitals, drive up costs, and force families to choose between paying medical bills or putting food on the table.”
Assemblymember George Alvarez said, “The so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ is nothing more than a direct attack on the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers. Here in the Bronx, the cuts to Medicaid, the Essential Plan, and SNAP will devastate our most vulnerable families, seniors, children, immigrants, and patients battling chronic illness. Stripping away health care coverage from millions and food assistance from hundreds of thousands is unconscionable and will push families deeper into poverty while overwhelming our hospitals and clinics. I stand with Governor Hochul, Representative Torres, and my colleagues in sounding the alarm: we will not sit silently while Washington Republicans balance their agenda on the backs of working families in our community.”
Assemblymember Landon Dais said, “They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder — but New York State Republicans must be blind if they think this so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is anything but ugly for New Yorkers. By siding with Donald Trump, they’ve chosen loyalty to him over loyalty to our state and country. This bill rips food off the tables of working families, threatens to bankrupt New York’s farmers, abandons our veterans, and guts Medicaid in ways that will leave horrifying outcomes for our healthcare system. It hurts New Yorkers, it hurts New York businesses, and it is nothing less than a direct threat to our great state.”
Assemblymember Emérita Torres said, “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is nothing short of an attack on the Bronx. By slashing Medicaid and gutting SNAP, this legislation rips away lifelines that tens of thousands of families in the 85th Assembly District depend on to survive. In a community already facing some of the highest rates of asthma, diabetes, and food insecurity in the country, these cruel cuts will deepen deadly health disparities and force parents to choose between medicine and meals. To add insult to injury, the same bill hands out massive tax breaks to billionaires while working-class families in the Bronx are left to suffer. This bill doesn’t just ignore the Bronx — it targets us, and the consequences will be measured in suffering and lives lost.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “The ‘Big Ugly Bill’ will devastate the Bronx, stripping away the programs and social safety net that our residents and families desperately need. Nearly a million Bronx residents depend on Medicaid for healthcare, and almost half of our Bronx families rely on SNAP to put food on the table every day. These cuts are not only morally unjust but will also underfund our hospitals, cost thousands of jobs, and force too many Bronx residents to go without basic needs. I stand with Governor Kathy Hochul, Congressman Richie Torres, and our healthcare leaders in fighting back against these cuts that will further harm our communities and disproportionately impact our most vulnerable residents.”
CABS CEO Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson said, “For over 45 years, CABS Health Network has been a trusted provider of home care, care management, and social support services—helping seniors, children, families, and other vulnerable New Yorkers live with health, dignity, and independence. Nearly all of those we serve rely on Medicaid and SNAP—not only as safety nets, but as essential pathways to care, nutrition, and community services. With over 95% of our operating budget and eligibility tied to Medicaid, any reduction in access to this program doesn’t just threaten our ability to serve—it threatens the health and well-being of thousands across our communities. We stand firmly behind Governor Hochul as she leads the charge to protect Medicaid, safeguard vital services, and uphold the values of compassion and equity that New Yorkers deserve.”
Council Member Kevin C. Riley said, “Cuts of this magnitude are devastating blows to working families, seniors, and children in communities like the Bronx who already face barriers to healthcare and food access. Stripping over a million New Yorkers of coverage and forcing hundreds of thousands of households to lose SNAP will deepen inequality and destabilize families who rely on these lifelines every day. As a Council Member, I am proud to lead this fight alongside Governor Hochul, Congressman Torres, and our partners in government to protect the dignity, health, and future of New Yorkers.”