US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
June 09, 2025
In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slammed the Republican reconciliation plan that will kick 16 million Americans off their health care coverage, close rural hospitals, and raise prices for American families in order to pay for tax cuts to billionaires
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor, making clear that Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act will only raise prices and slash Medicaid and Medicare coverage for working Americans in order to pay for significant tax breaks for billionaires. Durbin reiterated in his remarks that the legislation will harm Americans as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an estimate showing that 16 million Americans will lose their health insurance under the Republicans’ reconciliation bill.
“They [congressional Republicans] are considering a tax bill that will eliminate health insurance coverage for 16 million Americans. More people and families will lose health insurance coverage by virtue of this ‘big, beautiful bill’ than any legislation we passed in modern memory,” Durbin began.
Durbin explained how unpopular it would be to cut health insurance coverage for Americans, which has prompted a small number of Republicans to express their discontent with $800 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid.
“Some Republican Senators, like Josh Hawley in my neighboring state of Missouri, have criticized this because he realizes how many people he represents count on Medicaid, the basic health insurance program. Senator Hawley says even as a Republican, he can’t support that provision,” Durbin said. “No one should support that provision. If you ever lived at a moment in your life with a seriously sick child and no health insurance, you’ll never forget it. I know. I’ve been there.”
“With this analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, we have new estimates on how this bill impacts each and every state. 210,000 people in my neighboring state of Missouri, Senator Hawley’s state, could lose their health insurance coverage. In Iowa, nearly 100,000 people could lose their health plans, and for our neighbor in Indiana, 250,000 Hoosiers could lose the peace of mind that comes with having health insurance,” Durbin said.
“What is it that is so compelling that the Republicans feel they can stand up and tell 16 million people in America, ‘you’ll lose your health insurance.’ What will they use that money for? What will they take it to the bank for? For something very basic. Tax cuts for the wealthiest people in America,” Durbin continued.
Durbin spoke about his recent visit to a children’s hospital in Chicago, emphasizing that patients, including his constituent Layoni, rely on Medicaid in order to receive life-saving care.
“Friday, I visited a hospital in Chicago… It’s La Rabida, a children’s hospital… Ninety percent of the families that bring their children to La Rabida Hospital qualify for Medicaid. These are families of limited means, and they turn to a highly professional hospital which has a reputation of caring for the poorest kids, as well as the richest kids. They treat them all the same, and they treat them well,” Durbin said.
“When I visited the hospital, they told me the story of one of their patients. Her name is Layoni. She was born prematurely at 26 weeks. When she was born she was only the size of the palm of your hand. She was given just days to survive. She needed a ventilator, tracheotomy tube, central line, an IV-like device that brought medicine to her heart, and much, much more. Today, Layoni is four years old. It’s a miracle. Thanks to want incredible cared provided by La Rabida and the love of so many people, she’s there,” Durbin continued. “Layoni’s family was covered by Medicaid, the most highly targeted program for cuts in this ‘big, beautiful bill.’”
Durbin explained the impact the Republicans’ reconciliation bill will have on hospitals across the country, many of which rely on Medicaid reimbursements to stay open. If critical Medicaid funding is cut, hospitals across the country, especially those in rural areas, will be at serious risk of closure. According to America’s Essential Hospitals, uncompensated care costs for hospitals will increase by $42 billion in a single year under this Republican proposal. For rural hospitals that are already struggling financially, this bill could lead to them permanently closing their doors.
“They [20 hospital administrators from downstate and urban Illinois] came out to see me three weeks ago… On their own, they wanted to tell me the story, that the bill that passed the House of Representatives… will be devastating to these hospitals. Some of them won’t survive,” Durbin said.
“What does it mean to a small or medium-size city that’s lucky enough to have a good hospital and lose it? Well, the obvious. If you need emergency medical care, it’s a longer drive. If that baby is about to be born, it’s a longer drive. When it comes down to treatment, these hospitals provide the first in urgent care. And if that hospital closes, what happens? It takes longer to get that care, but in addition to that, it also means a major part of the local economy is gone,” Durbin said. “How will you attract a business or keep a business when you lose your hospital? That’s what’s at stake here because it cuts into the Medicaid program.”
Despite Republican claims that the reconciliation bill will not impact Medicare, the bill also includes a $500 billion cut to Medicare.
“The Trump ‘big, beautiful bill’ is designed to cut the program that these hospitals rely on most, the Medicaid program. Now it turns out because they add trillions of dollars to the deficit for this tax cut, you’re also facing the possibility of something called sequestration, what that means is there will be less coverage for Medicare,” Durbin said. “This would be devastating to many people who count on it. It’s not just La Rabida that would face consequences. Red and blue states would suffer.”
Durbin continued on, stressing that this legislation will also increase the cost of living for Americans while billionaires will enjoy an additional $400,000 in tax cuts.
“As if an increase in the health care premiums isn’t enough, the costs of basic goods will skyrocket under this Republican plan. The ‘big, beautiful betrayal’ will raise energy bills up to $400 a year for families and ten percent for businesses,” Durbin said.
“If housing wasn’t already expensive enough, many Americans will see their mortgages increase by $600 a year. Want to follow your passion and start a business? Small business loans are estimated to increase under the ‘big, beautiful bill’ by $1,000 a year. Tariffs are estimated to raise costs for American households by around $2,500,” Durbin said. “If this last election was about the cost of living and giving families a fighting chance to survive paycheck to paycheck, this bill is devastating for those who aren’t the wealthiest in America.”
Durbin concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to push back against this legislation that will eliminate health care for 16 million Americans and raise prices even further.
“This year, for the Fourth of July, the most American thing we can do is, on a bipartisan basis, stop this disaster. What does it take to say, ‘Pause, stop. We don’t want to cut Medicaid. We don’t want to take health insurance away from 16 million people. We don’t want to see the expenses of families going up.’ What will it take? Four Republican Senators who will step up and say this is a mistake,” Durbin said.
“Donald Trump is trying to rush us into something which is not good for American families. [The bill is] good for billionaires… but for ordinary families struggling with their regular bills that they have to pay, the ‘big, beautiful bill’ is a big, beautiful betrayal,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
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