Rep. Jim Costa Votes against the Largest Medicaid and SNAP Cuts in History

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement after voting against the partisan Republican budget, H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act, also known as the Big-Ugly Bill. 

"Republicans had six months to work with Democrats on a bipartisan, responsible budget. Instead, they’ve chosen to put billionaires and big corporations first at the expense of the people of the San Joaquin Valley. Healthcare is essential as the majority of the people that I represent rely on Medicaid, Medicare and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These vital safety nets ensure families can access food, healthcare, and stable housing. But this bill guts those services and puts rural hospitals at risk of closure, while adding $4 trillion to the deficit. That’s not fiscal responsibility—it’s a direct attack on the communities I represent,” said Congressman Costa.

BACKGROUND
The Senate passed its version of the bill despite bipartisan opposition by a vote of 51-50, advancing legislation originally passed by House Republicans in May 2025. The budget bill is moving through budget reconciliation, a fast-track process that allows Congress to pass fiscal legislation with a simple majority in the Senate.

The Senate’s bill goes even further in slashing vital support for American families. It strips more than $1.3 trillion from Medicaid, SNAP, and subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while adding an estimated $4 trillion in debt to the deficit. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will cause 17 million Americans to lose their coverage and increase costs for low-income Medicaid recipients.

Data from the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) and House Budget Democrats found that the One Big-Ugly bill threatens the well-being and health of the people of the San Joaquin Valley:

• End health coverage for millions — Slashes over $1.1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, resulting in at least 17 million Americans losing their insurance.
   
  • 51,233 people in Costa’s district will lose Medicaid (Medi-Cal) coverage, including seniors, children, and those with disabilities. Costa’s district is the second-highest dependent congressional district in California.
     
  • 9,700 people in Costa's district will lose their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 
     
• Cut SNAP at historic levels — Cuts nearly $200 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest cut in the program’s history.
   
  • 35,000 people in Costa’s district will lose SNAP benefits – the highest dependent congressional district in California.
     
• Put rural hospitals and clinics at risk — Cuts funding for community health centers, nursing homes, and hospitals like Community Medical Centers (CMC) and Adventist Health that rely heavily on Medicaid to serve low-income and elderly patients.
   
• Defund Planned Parenthood – Strips all federal funding from Planned Parenthood, leaving many women with nowhere to go for cancer screenings and prenatal care.

Congressman Costa introduced multiple amendments to protect Valley families—proposals to preserve year-round Medicaid coverage for 775,000 children, restore wildfire prevention funding, preserve SNAP benefits, and ensure that those on SNAP can still receive assistance to pay their home energy bills through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Every Republican voted against it.