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* Lots of stuff here, but I’ve tried to mostly focus on press releases with actual budget numbers/projections. From the Illinois Health and Hospital Association…
IHA Statement on Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1)
SPRINGFIELD – The following statement can be attributed to A.J. Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), in response to the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1).
“The severe Medicaid cuts contained in this legislation will force hospitals to make painful decisions—including eliminating services and jobs in their communities. And make no mistake, some hospitals will be forced to close their doors.
“Communities that already face barriers to care will be hit the hardest. This legislation doesn’t just threaten hospitals—it threatens the health, stability, and future of the communities they serve. The most regrettable outcome of this legislation is the loss of healthcare for hundreds of thousands of our state’s residents. While the vast majority of the proposed Medicaid cuts will fall on hospitals, they will continue to provide care for the uninsured, consistent with their moral and legal obligations. But this will come at the cost of service and staff reductions, and higher healthcare costs for all.
“Important work lays ahead for our state and its employers to ensure working people can keep their healthcare. And while most assume that hospitals will always be there to care for their communities, the financial challenges that will unfold as this plan moves forward will require important conversations between hospital leaders and policymakers.”
* Excerpt from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s statement…
Nationally, experts estimate that as many as 12 million people could lose their Medicaid coverage if this bill becomes law. Here in Cook County, we estimate our health system stands to lose at least $88 million each year in Medicaid reimbursement as patients lose insurance, threatening critical services and stability for those who rely on them most.
* From Gov. JB Pritzker earlier today…
As the House moves towards a final vote on the Republican budget reconciliation bill, Governor Pritzker sent the attached letter to Reps. Bost, LaHood, and Miller urging them to go against the bill and protect the healthcare and rural hospitals of the people they represent.
The letter details for the Representatives key impacts in their districts –
• The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) estimates that more than 330,000 Illinoisians would lose Medicaid coverage.
o Illinois’s 12th Congressional District, represented by Congressman Mike Bost, will see more than 22,000 Illinoisans lose Medicaid coverage.
o Illinois 15th Congressional District, represented by Congresswoman Mary Miller, will see more than 19,000 Illinoisans lose Medicaid coverage.
o Illinois 16th Congressional District, represented by Congressman Darin LaHood, will see more than 15,000 Illinoisans lose Medicaid coverage.• The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is also warning that the Medicaid cuts could force the closure or severe service reductions at nine rural hospitals.
o This would affect over 500 inpatient beds and jeopardizing care for 54,000 rural Illinoisans.
o These hospitals directly employ over 2,500 FTEs, contributing hundreds of millions annually to local economies.
o These hospitals serve over 9,400 patients and generate $557 million in net patient revenue annually.
* Excerpt from Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ statement…
Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) pledges to continue providing ALL sexual and reproductive services despite the bill “defunding” Planned Parenthood, which slashes Medicaid funding. Almost 30,000 PPIL patients use Medicaid to access essential health care services at our health centers.
“We refuse to stop providing care to our patients even though it’s clear the Republicans in Congress are trying to force us to do so,” said Tonya Tucker, Interim President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “Over 40% of PPIL patients use Medicaid to cover the cost of their health care and we will not allow people to forgo essential health care!
“Fortunately, Illinois remains a haven state. We are grateful our state government and supporters understand that health care is a human right. We’ve been working with them on contingency plans, so our Medicaid patients are supported. Our doors remain open, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure our patients continue to receive the care they need and deserve for as long as we can.”
The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Trump on July 4. In the immediate future, PPIL will continue to provide care to Medicaid recipients and is accepting private insurances and self-pay options.
* US Rep. Mary Miller…
Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 1, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act:
“The One Big, Beautiful Bill is a once-in-a-generation victory for the American people,” said Congresswoman Mary Miller. “It delivers on President Trump’s America First agenda with bold, decisive, and immediate action. This is the most pro-worker, pro-family, pro-America legislation I have voted for during my time in Congress, and I was proud to help get it across the finish line for the hardworking Americans across my district.”
The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act is a historic victory for American workers, families, and farmers. It eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, delivers permanent tax relief for small businesses and working families, and expands critical support for American agriculture.
This bill fulfills President Trump’s America First agenda by securing the border, funding mass deportations, and ending radical “Green” New Scam tax subsidies. It unleashes American energy, strengthens our military, and protects federal benefits like SNAP and Medicaid, ensuring these vital programs serve American citizens, not illegal aliens. Every single Democrat in the House of Representatives voted against this bill.
As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Congresswoman Miller successfully fought to include her provision in the bill to strip illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits. This common-sense reform passed the House and is headed to the President’s desk to become law. Click here to read more.
Additionally, Congresswoman Miller led the charge to defend life, securing a major pro-life victory by defunding Planned Parenthood and cutting off federal funding to the abusive, profit-driven abortion giant. Click here to read more.
* US Rep. Darin LaHood…
Today, Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) voted to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to deliver much-needed economic relief, secure our southern border, and bolster the United States’ national security.
“Today, House Republicans voted to give rocket-fuel to the United States’ economy, provide predictability and certainty for small businesses, and deliver historic tax relief for the American people,” said Rep. LaHood. “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a generational piece of legislation that creates more opportunities to live the American Dream. The Republican bill eliminates taxes on tips, overtime, and auto loans for hardworking Americans. This legislation invests in the future of Illinois agriculture and protects high-paying manufacturing jobs in Illinois’ 16th Congressional District while boosting local economies across central and northwest Illinois. This is a win for the 16th District and the American People. I look forward to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act being sent to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law on our nation’s Independence Day.”
Impact on Illinois’ 16th Congressional District:
• Prevents a 22% tax increase set to begin next year;
• Prevents the Child Tax Credit for 69,000 families from being cut in half;
• Supports 11,000 family-owned farms from the Death tax;
• Delivers up to a $13,500 increase in year take-home pay for a typical family of four; and
• Preserves 10,000 manufacturing jobs while generating $1.6 billion in economic growth.Rep. LaHood’s Priorities Included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:
Expanding and improving the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
• This bill would renew the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, expand the reimbursement rate, increase the number of projects that can be built using private activity bonds, and accelerate the construction of much-needed low-income housing development in rural communities. These provisions were originally included as part of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, which Rep. LaHood introduced with over 100 bipartisan cosponsors in April 2025.
• Since he was elected to Congress, Rep. LaHood has been a strong advocate for addressing the shortage of affordable housing for the growing workforce throughout Illinois’ 16th Congressional District and across the country. Read the press release on his bill HERE.
Supporting farmers and the biofuels industry
• Rural communities across the Midwest have seen the benefits of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit through new job opportunities and increased markets. The bill extends this key tax credit through 2029, supporting broader industry growth and directly supporting farmers and the biofuels economy in Illinois’ 16th District.Improving access to health savings
• Rep. LaHood has been a strong advocate for creating health savings plans. Included in the legislation is language that would give American families increased choices to save and afford healthcare costs through a health savings account. This would make these accounts more accessible for patients and families.
Tax fairness and relief for employees in the beauty and salon industry
• Rep. LaHood has long championed creating parity and extending the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) tip tax to salon and beauty service establishments and their employees. In April 2025, Rep. LaHood introduced the Small Business Tax Fairness and Compliance Simplification Act to level the playing field for beauty salons whose employees rely on tips for a large portion of their income, similar to the law already applied to the restaurant industry.
• The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes this legislation and will provide immediate tax relief to these small businesses and their employees. Read his press release HERE.Key Pieces of Tax Legislation:
• Makes President Trump’s historic tax cuts permanent;
• Delivers on President Trump’s priorities of no tax on tips, overtime pay, or car loan interest, and provides additional tax relief for seniors;
• Boosts the doubled Child Tax Credit for more than 40 million families;
• Supports working families by expanding access to childcare and making permanent the paid leave tax credit;
• Expands and makes permanent the 199A small business deduction to 23%, creating over one million new Main Street small businesses and generating $750 billion in economic growth;
• Makes permanent and increases the doubled Death Tax Exemption for family-owned farms;
• Generates $284 billion in new economic growth from American manufacturers; and
• Secures six million jobs for American workers.Other Key Pieces of Legislation:
• Keeps the southern border secure
o Makes the largest investment in border security in American history;
o Provides resources to finish the border wall; and
o Gives our border patrol agents and immigration enforcement agencies the resources they need to detain and deport illegal aliens.• Promotes government efficiency and efficacy
o Reduces the size and scope of government;
o Roots out waste, fraud, and abuse;
o Brings bloated and inefficient programs back to their original intent; and
o Puts the United States on a sound fiscal trajectory.• Bolsters our national security
o Provides the military with the resources it needs to counter our foreign adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
* Latino Policy Forum excerpt…
The budget bill passed will have dramatic impacts on people who are low income, and many Latino and immigrant families, either through deep cuts to critical social programs that families rely on or via more aggressive immigration enforcement:
• Nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act nationally over the next ten years.
o An estimated 680,000 Latino residents in Illinois could lose healthcare coverage.
o Most Latino children in Illinois are on Medicaid.
o Latino children with foreign-born parents are more than twice as likely to live without health insurance.• Nearly $300 billion in cuts to SNAP nationally over the next ten years.
o The bill will make it harder for nearly 2 million low-income families to qualify for food aid through SNAP. Millions will lose benefits due to burdensome work requirements, and food banks will struggle to provide groceries for families with limited means.
• The bill excludes many currently eligible and lawfully present immigrants, including those with humanitarian protections (like refugees and asylees) from eligibility for medical and nutrition supports.
• An estimated 196,000 children in Illinois will become ineligible for the federal Child Tax Credit if they don’t have a parent who has a Social Security Number (even if they pay taxes using an individual tax identification number).
• Consolidation of 18 federal education grant programs and a 69 percent reduced budget across all programs.o This will impact funding for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a federal program to support students experiencing homelessness.
• $45 billion for immigration detention through Fiscal Year 2029, a 265 percent annual budget increase to ICE’s current detention budget.
• Increased ICE budget to $30 billion, 3 times its current annual budgetAdding to the fallout, OMB withheld $6.9 billion in education funds that were expected to be distributed on July 1. Cuts include:
• $1.33 billion for after school and summer learning funding, this amounts to a loss of $55.6 million across the state that will force programs to close.
o Illinois also stands to lose an additional $56.6 M for academic enrichment programs and student supports.
• $376 million for migrant education; approximately $1.9 million loss for students in Illinois who are children of migrant workers.
• $2.19 billion for teacher effectiveness and professional development; $75.6 million loss for monies intended for efforts to ensure teacher quality and make progress towards alleviating the serious teacher shortage in Illinois
• $890 million for English Acquisition programming (Title III); $30 million loss for local school districts across the state providing services for English Learners. Overall, 332,000 English Learners will be impacted in 745 out of Illinois’ 851 school districts
* Citizens Utility Board…
CUB STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF BUDGET BILL
The budget reconciliation bill that passed today represents higher power bills for consumers in Illinois and across the country. Tax credits that help everyday people use solar power or energy efficiency to cut costs at home are wildly popular and highly successful. These incentives are cost-effective ways to cut utility bills, reduce energy prices for everyone, make the grid more reliable, create jobs and spark the economy.
This federal legislation ramps up the importance of Illinois continuing to pass strong, pro-consumer energy legislation, such as the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, to build off what we have achieved and better protect consumers from high utility bills.
These times call for strong consumer advocacy, and CUB is dedicated to working for consumer interests at the local, state, regional and federal levels as we fight for lower utility bills across Illinois.
Background:
• The House of Representatives passed the budget reconciliation bill on Thursday, July 3, by a vote of 218-214. The bill passed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The vote was 50-50, with the Vice President breaking the tie. The federal legislation now heads to the President for signing.
• Among other things, the bill ends these tax credits by Dec. 31, 2025:o The “residential clean energy credit” helps consumers recoup up to 30 percent of the costs of energy-saving projects, like installing rooftop solar panels.
o The “energy efficient home improvement credit” helps people recoup up to 30 percent of the cost (up to $1,200/a year) for energy-saving projects, like a professional home energy audit; installing insulation; door, window and electric panel upgrades; and installing a high-efficiency air-conditioning unit. (There’s an additional credit of up to $2,000 available for buying an electric heat pump or heat pump water heater.)• Multiple studies have shown that rolling back clean energy tax credits could increase the average family’s energy bill by hundreds of dollars within a decade. In Illinois, the League of Conservation Voters has estimated that the legislation could lead to a $168 a year increase in residential energy bills, and a 21 percent increase in commercial and industrial energy bills.
…Adding… Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
Today, U.S. Congressional Republicans passed the most extreme, expensive, and anti-environment budget reconciliation bill in history, wiping out good-paying clean energy jobs and raising energy costs for families by gutting the historic progress made in the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act. The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition released the following statement:
“For months, we’ve joined advocates and legislative leaders across the country in sounding the alarm that President Trump was gearing up to use his majorities in Congress to decimate the historic climate progress we’ve made at the federal level, cutting funding for climate programs, gutting clean energy manufacturing, killing good jobs, and driving up energy bills. Today, that threat is a reality.
“Although Illinois missed a chance to Trump-proof our state’s climate progress and consumers’ utility bills by passing the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act this spring, the legislature still has a critical opportunity to take action this fall and send a clear message that Illinois’ clean energy economy is open for business. Illinois ratepayers are facing soaring energy bills due to regional grid operators’ poor planning, which has delayed the connection of cheaper clean energy to meet growing demand. Grid challenges will only escalate as Illinois rushes to build energy-intensive data centers at the behest of Big Tech. Now, as President Trump’s Big Terrible Bill rolls back critical climate protections and clean energy tax incentives, Illinois consumers, our power grid, and our climate will pay the price. By passing the CRGA Act this fall, lawmakers in the General Assembly can provide the bold response Illinois needs right now to protect families from soaring utility bills, preserve and grow our clean energy workforce, and maintain our national leadership on climate action.”
In Illinois, the budget reconciliation bill will:
• Increase residential energy bills by $168 annually and increase commercial and industrial energy bills 21% due to the repeal of clean energy tax credits.
• Result in the loss of between 30,000 and 56,000 jobs by 2030.
• Increase air pollution by 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2030 and 6 million metric tons by 2035.
• Result in the loss of over $16.8 billion worth of investments from public and private sources, putting 105 facilities at risk of closure across the state.
…Adding… Speaker Welch…
House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch released the following statement Thursday:
“The true cost of Donald Trump’s big betrayal bill—whether in terms of dollars taken from working families, in jobs lost and opportunities denied, and in human lives—will take years to fully realize. What we do know is that on our most American of holidays, Trump and his Republican allies will tell millions of our neighbors that they have no right to healthcare, that their next meals are less important than tax breaks for billionaires, and that everything will become even more expensive. While no state can backfill the devastating cuts being forced on our communities, in Illinois we will continue to work toward decisions that are responsible and compassionate—because it’s clear the decisions made in Washington are neither.”
…Adding… Sun-Times…
The nine rural hospitals at risk of closure, according to the University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, are OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center in Danville, Hoopeston Community Memorial Hospital, Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson, Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, Harrisburg Medical Center, Franklin Hospital in Benton, Massac Memorial Hospital in Metropolis, Hardin County General Hospital in Rosiclare and Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in Dixon.
More releases have been posted here.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 3, 25 @ 2:40 pm
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