Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) issued a dire warning Thursday, claiming President Donald Trump’s newly passed $3.3 trillion tax and spending bill will lead to deadly consequences for vulnerable Americans.
Appearing on CNN’s “The Arena,” Dingell said the legislation will drive people away from medical care, lead to increased hunger and cause avoidable deaths across the country.
“What am I worried about?” Dingell asked during the interview. “I’m worried people are going to lose their healthcare.”
“I’m worried about people who aren’t going to go to the doctor because they simply can’t afford it.”
She added, “We’re going to see people back in emergency rooms. We’re going to see people die. We’re going to see sicker people.”
Her concerns focused largely on low-income families, seniors, veterans and children, groups she says will be hardest hit by the sweeping changes in the legislation.
One of the bill’s more controversial provisions includes a 20 percent cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to millions of Americans.
“I’m worried about kids and veterans and seniors being hungry,” she said.
Dingell also raised the alarm about the possible closure of rural hospitals across the U.S., a concern tied to changes in Medicaid funding.
“Some already have,” she said. “These are going to impact working men and women’s lives across the country.”
According to Dingell, many of her constituents are already confused about what is in the bill, especially with regard to new or proposed taxes.
She referenced a recent conversation with a senior citizen who believed the bill included taxes on Social Security.
Dingell told him that the measure did not include such a provision, highlighting what she described as widespread misinformation.
“There’s a lot of misinformation—the no tax on tips, the no tax on overtime,” she said. “We want to pass a bill like that, but we want to pass a bill that actually helps the workers. This helps the employers more than it does the workers.”
Despite Dingell’s dire warnings, Republican lawmakers argue the legislation includes safeguards for essential services.
A $25 billion fund was created to support rural hospitals and protect them from financial instability.
Though an amendment to double the amount to $50 billion failed, Republicans were able to secure the existing funding without raising taxes on billionaires, The Daily Caller reports.
Additionally, the bill changes SNAP eligibility rules by extending work requirements for able-bodied adults, a policy GOP supporters say encourages personal responsibility and self-reliance.
The legislation narrowly passed in the House of Representatives by a 218-214 vote, after Speaker Mike Johnson rallied conservative support.
Two Republican lawmakers—Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania—joined Democrats in voting against the bill.
In addition to tax reforms and spending cuts, the bill allocates approximately $150 billion for enhanced border enforcement.
This includes $46 billion for Customs and Border Protection and $30 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, fulfilling a major campaign pledge from President Trump to strengthen U.S. immigration policy and bolster national security.
The bill’s tax cuts are projected to cost $4.5 trillion over the next decade.
Republicans offset some of that cost with $1.2 trillion in spending reductions, much of it through cuts to Medicaid and other social safety net programs.
Dingell’s comments reflect the growing tension between Democrats who say the bill jeopardizes public health and Republicans who argue it’s a necessary move to reduce government overreach and reinforce fiscal responsibility.
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