116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa’s Ernst ‘proud’ to pass Trump’s legislative priorities, including tax cuts, Medicaid changes
The Iowa Hospital Association, meantime, is ‘deeply concerned’ with the impact Medicaid spending reductions will have on Iowa hospitals
Jul. 1, 2025 4:19 pm, Updated: Jul. 1, 2025 6:33 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
DES MOINES — Reaction from Iowa to President Donald Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” passing the U.S. Senate on Tuesday:
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa: “President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill delivers on what Iowans voted for in November, keeping more money in hardworking folks’ pockets, real border security, and a safer America. In addition to the largest tax cut in history for our families, farmers, and small businesses, the bill strengthens the integrity of Medicaid and prioritizes those who truly need help by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. I am proud to have fought to save $100 million for taxpayers over the next decade and eliminated unfair practices in the FAFSA process that held back farm families from investing in their child’s education. I will always fight to improve Iowans’ lives and continue to lead the charge in Washington to reduce reckless spending and put taxpayers first.”
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa: “In November, Americans gave President Trump a mandate to fix the economy and secure the border. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers a resounding victory for the American people, enacting the America First policies that President Trump and congressional Republicans promised. Together, we’re preventing the largest tax increase in the history of our country and giving relief to the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy. As a lifelong family farmer, I’m proud our bill will also deliver a modernized farm safety net that gives Iowa farmers the certainty they need.”
Chris Mitchell, president and CEO of the Iowa Hospital Association: “We are deeply concerned about the U.S. Senate’s vote to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the effect the steep Medicaid cuts will have on Iowa’s hospitals and the patients they serve. Rural hospitals already operate on thin margins, and these Medicaid cuts will exacerbate their already strained financial situations. Cuts of this magnitude will force hospitals to make tough decisions about reducing services or closing altogether. Medicaid cuts to Iowa's hospitals affect not only Iowans who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage, but also all Iowans who require hospital care. We urge our representatives in the House to stand up for Iowa's hospitals and rural communities, ensuring that all Iowans have access to the health care services they need and deserve.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (via social media): “Thank you to the Senate for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill that will lower taxes for Iowans, secure our border, and strengthen our military. We’re one step closer to achieving President (Donald Trump’s) promise to Make America Great Again!”
Iowa Soybean Association District 6 Director Dave Walton: “This bill corrects serious flaws in the clean fuel credit and ensures Iowa-grown soybeans are judged by their actual environmental performance, not by arbitrary land use penalties. Sen. Grassley’s work to fix 45Z is a legacy achievement for Iowa farmers and biofuel producers.”
Zach Wahls, Iowa Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate: “Joni Ernst just voted to gut Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of Iowa children and families in exchange for tax cuts for billionaires, underscoring what she’s been telling us — she doesn’t care if we live or die. We need a new senator, one who will fight to make Iowans’ lives better and stand up to leaders in both parties when they’re wrong for Iowa. We need a senator for us. I’ll be that senator.”
Rita Hart, Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman: “Why do Republicans need to be so cruel? Iowans are already dealing with the 49th-worst economy in the nation and now thanks to Joni Ernst they will also have a harder time finding jobs, paying for their health care, and keeping up with rising energy costs just so billionaires and the ultra-wealthy can get some cushy tax breaks. Joni Ernst just voted to sell out hardworking Iowans to make the lives of the top 1 percent a little more luxurious.”
Amy Adams, Iowa State Director of Protect Our Care: “Sen. Ernst had the power to stop this devastating bill from becoming law. Instead, she put billionaires over Iowans and voted to kick seniors out of nursing homes, rip health care away from disabled children, close rural hospitals, and strip over a hundred thousand Iowans of their health care all to give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations. Just one Republican vote could have protected thousands of Iowans from losing their health care and prevented costs from skyrocketing on everyday families. But Sen. Ernst chose tax cuts for the rich over care for the rest of us. Unless Republicans in the House finally stand up for their constituents and vote this bill down, Iowans will be left to pay the price.”
Anne Discher, Executive Director of Common Good Iowa: “It is a bad day for Iowans and all Americans. A ‘no’ vote from either of Iowa’s Senators could have stopped the most outrageous budget bill in our lifetimes. Instead, by the slimmest of margins, the Senate rushed through a bill that will do serious harm to a broad cross-section of our communities, including children, nursing home residents, people with disabilities, asylees and refugees, gig workers and small-business owners. The Senate bill includes massive cuts to health insurance that will leave an estimated 17 million people, including nearly 100,000 Iowans, without coverage and strain already stretched rural hospitals. It includes massive cuts to food assistance that will hurt up to 60,000 Iowans, including veterans and young people aging out of foster care.”
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com
Get the latest Iowa politics and government coverage each morning in the On Iowa Politics newsletter.
Daily Newsletters