Congresswoman Luz Rivas Votes Against House Republicans’ ‘Big Ugly Bill’

May 22, 2025
Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) released the following statement following House passage of H.R. 1, Republicans’ bill that cuts Medicaid and food assistance to give tax breaks to billionaires:

 

“House Republicans turned their backs on the health, well-being, and livelihoods of working families to hand their billionaire donors more tax breaks,” said Congresswoman Rivas. “Under direct orders from President Trump, Republicans forced a wildly unpopular bill through the House of Representatives that ignores working Americans’ concerns, drives up the cost of groceries, and unleashes the largest cut to Medicaid in our country’s history.

 

“House Democrats offered more than 500 amendments to help families across the country. Our amendments shined a light on Republicans’ extreme bill that will hurt working class families, rip healthcare away from nearly 14 million Americans, and take school lunches away from 18 million children. Republicans blocked our amendments from making it into the final version, including my amendments that allow states to protect their residents from current and upcoming threats of artificial intelligence (AI), rein in Elon Musk’s corruption, provide relief to Medicaid beneficiaries subjected to Big Oil’s pollution, and make sure environmental justice communities are not forgotten when important federal policy decisions are made.

 

“As House Republicans turned their backs on our most vulnerable communities, I voted with all my House Democratic Caucus colleagues to protect Medicaid and SNAP for working families across the country and not give billionaires another tax break.”

 

Background

 

House Republicans’ bill – H.R. 1 – will:

  • Threaten over 370,000 individuals in CA-29 who rely on Medicaid and 121,000 people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
  • Cut federal funding for SNAP in California by at least $2.3 to $4.9 billion annually;
  • Take food away from millions of children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities – the people basic need programs are designed to protect;
  • Create a “pay to play” scheme that allows Big Oil and Gas to pay government agencies upwards of $10 million to acquire permits free of scrutiny.

 

Congresswoman Luz Rivas introduced amendments to the bill that would:

 

  • Remove House Republicans’ provision to create a 10-year moratorium on states, or any political subdivision, from enforcing any law or regulation related to AI or automated decision systems (Watch Rep. Rivas’ statement in the House Rules Committee);
  • Require revenue raised from oil, gas, and coal lease sales be used to reimburse the healthcare costs of individuals who lose Medicaid coverage under this bill;
  • Require a 45-day public comment period following the release of an environmental impact statement for all energy projects;
  • Prohibit funds for new contracts with Elon Musk’s companies until the Offices of Inspectors General of the Department of the Interior, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Agriculture determine he has not violated the conflicts of interest criminal law; and
  • Strike the recission of Inflation Reduction Act environmental and climate data collection and Environmental Justice Screening Tool funding.                                 

 

The House passed the bill by a vote of 215-214-1, with all House Democrats voting against the bill.

 

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