Trump’s Massive Tax Bill Threatens Food and Health Benefits for Over 700,000 in Oregon

Following the passage of President Donald Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax bill yesterday, which includes $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamp programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Oregon Governor Tina Kotek held a media conference in which she criticized the bill.

Kotek Criticizes Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Trump’s so-called big beautiful bill, which passed in the United States House of Representatives, is a blow to essential services in Oregon.

Medicaid and SNAP programs are a lifeline for Oregonians, and the SNAP cuts pose a threat to the survival of millions of Americans, including more than 700,000 Oregonians (1 in 6) who depend on the program for food security.

Gov. Kotek said:

What we’re seeing from Congress is a cruel and unnecessary plan to pull our dollars, taking it back to DC to pay for tax cuts for very wealthy individuals instead of letting those dollars come back to Oregon and provide benefits on the Oregon Health Plan and through SNAP.

At the media briefing, the governor emphasized that the budget cuts will severely impact rural Oregon, where many rely on Medicaid and federal food assistance and will be taking food out of the mouths of children, seniors, and veterans as an estimated 108,000 Oregonians will see their family’s food budget slashed by $160 a month.

Kotek also voiced concern over the redistribution of funds, given that 1 in 3 Oregonians rely on the Oregon Health Plan.

The bill now goes to Trump, who is expected to sign it into law on July 4.

Governor Kotek assured that state agencies have been directed to assess the bill’s impacts and reaffirmed her commitment to fighting for Oregon’s values, despite the anticipated challenges.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) budget and policy teams have begun working on how the new federal budget will impact the state.