Congressional Bill Projected to Cause 51,311 Preventable Deaths Annually, Critics Warn

A controversial budget reconciliation bill, dubbed the "big ugly bill" by critics and the "One Big Beautiful Bill" by its proponents, was signed into law by President Trump in early July 2025, following narrow passage in both the House and Senate. The legislation, which passed the Senate with a 50-50 tie broken by Vice President J.D. Vance, has drawn sharp criticism for its projected impact on healthcare, social safety nets, and economic inequality.

Inequality.org, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies, highlighted the bill's most contentious aspects, stating on social media, > "Here's our top 10 list of the ugliest parts of the big ugly bill..." The organization and other critics argue the bill represents a significant upward transfer of wealth, primarily benefiting the wealthiest Americans at the expense of vulnerable populations.

A study by the University of Pennsylvania and the Yale School of Public Health estimates the bill could lead to 51,311 preventable deaths annually due to its provisions. New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned that the bill's cuts to Medicaid and the Essential Plan could result in 1.5 million New Yorkers losing healthcare coverage and 65,000 job losses in the state's healthcare sector.

The legislation includes substantial tax breaks for the wealthy, making permanent changes from 2017 that would see nearly two-thirds of benefits go to the richest fifth of taxpayers. The estate tax exemption is set to more than double to $30 million per couple, a change that 99.8 percent of American families will not benefit from, according to analysis.

To offset these tax cuts, the bill slashes funding for programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The House Republican plan proposes a roughly 30 percent cut to SNAP, largely through expanded work requirements, which the Congressional Budget Office projects could lead to 3.2 million people losing benefits monthly. Critics, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, characterized the bill as a "crime scene" that "hurts everyday Americans and rewards billionaires."