The passage of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill" by the U.S. House of Representatives has been met with mixed reactions nationally and locally. In St. Joseph, about a dozen people interviewed for their initial reactions a few hours after the bill passed echoed both the praises and concerns expressed by members of the House of Representatives in their debates

The passage of this legislation will undermine critical components of our healthcare safety net, including nearly $930 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $230 billion in cuts to SNAP benefits. The result will be an estimated 12 million Americans losing coverage and a heavier burden on states,