17 million to lose health coverage: Samosa Caucus blasts Trump’s Beautiful Bill

Six Indian-American Democratic lawmakers, known informally as the “Samosa Caucus”, slammed President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which was signed into law by him on America’s Independence Day on July 4, calling it a “cruel” and “reckless” policy that unfairly favours the wealthy at the expense of others.

The sweeping tax and spending cuts package was approved the previous day by the Republican-led House of Representatives in a closely contested vote.

The Samosa Caucus comprises Indian-American Democratic Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Ro Khanna, and Shri Thanedar. The term “Samosa Caucus” was coined by Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois’ 8th District.

Representative Pramila Jayapal slammed the bill as a “cruel betrayal” and warned 17 million could lose healthcare coverage.

“This is a cruel, horrific betrayal that will leave Americans poorer and sicker. It will throw 17 million Americans off health care and increase healthcare costs for everyone. It will shutter over 300 rural hospitals, close over 500 nursing homes, and defund Planned Parenthood clinics that provide cancer screenings and basic reproductive care,” Jayapal said in a statement.

Jayapal also added, “The Big Bad Betrayal Bill is the largest-ever transfer of wealth from poor and working people to the richest, and every single district and state — red, blue, and purple — will feel the effects. Under this legislation, the poorest Americans are dealt the biggest blow.”

IT’S BIG UGLY BILL, LARGE LOUSY LAW, SAY REPRESENTATIVES

Representative Ami Bera, who is from California, said he voted against the President’s “Big Ugly Bill”.

“Their (Republicans’) bill makes deep cuts to Medicaid, putting healthcare at risk for millions of children, seniors, women, and people with disabilities. These cuts will force more people to delay care, crowd our emergency rooms, drive up hospital and pharmacy costs, and ultimately make healthcare more expensive for everyone,” Bera, who is also a doctor by profession, said in a statement.

Illinois Representative Krishnamoorthi called Trump’s budget a “Large Lousy Law”, saying it strips healthcare and favours the rich at working families’ expense.

“I drove 14 hours from Illinois to Washington to fight this cruel and reckless bill because the stakes are too high not to fight. Donald Trump’s budget — what I call his ‘Large Lousy Law’ — rips health care from millions, spikes costs for working families, and hands out massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy,” he said.

BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL WILL ADD $3 TRILLION TO NATIONAL DEBT: SUBRAMANYAM

Representative Suhas Subramanyam said, “This One Big Ugly Bill is a betrayal of the promises this administration made to the American people.”

“The bill can add over $3 trillion to our national debt. 800,000 Virginians, including 300,000 children, will lose some or all of their food assistance,” Subramanyam wrote on his website.

Ro Khanna, the Congressman from California, said the bill is a direct attack on working Americans.

“Republicans voted to rip healthcare away from 17 million Americans WHILE adding nearly $4 trillion to the national debt. The Trump/Vance budget is an attack on working Americans and fiscally reckless (sic),” Khanna said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Congressman Thanedar warned the bill would take food off the table for 2 million people while giving billionaires yet another tax break.

“My district has the fourth-highest Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP) participation rate in the country at 29%, and 47% of our district relies on Medicaid to get the healthcare they need to survive,” he added.

The group’s condemnation underscores the deep divide over President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which many believe would exacerbate inequality and strain public resources.

– Ends